Contents - Kerasma

Contents 

ISSUE 13 FALL 2009 

Letter from the President of HEPO 2 

Letter from the CEO 3 

Letter from the Editor 5 

Nutrition Corner: The Greens Pies of Greece 7 

by Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou, Effie Vasilopoulou 

Beyond Extra Virgin – Greek Olive Oil and the Super Premium Trend 11 

by Diane Kochilas 

Greece’s White Gold: Sea Salt 17 

by Georgia Kofinas 

Greek Pie Squared – Greek Savory Pies-Pita-Offer 23 

endless Possibilities at Every Dining Level 

by Diane Kochilas 

Pita Recipes 28 

Thrace: A Food Lover’s Tour 32 

by Diana Farr Louis 

Recipes from Thrace 40 

Greek Comfort Food 45 

by Georgia Kofinas 

Grains of Plenty: Greek Rice 53 

by Diana Farr Louis 

Retsina-The Traditional Wine of Greece makes a Comeback 61 

by Meropi Papadopoulou 

KERASMA Recipes for EVOO Premiums, Salt, Savory Pies, 67 

Thrace, Rice, Mezedes for Retsina and More 

1 GREEKGOURMETRAVELER

Letter from the ChAIrmAN of hePo 

one of my passions is pita, the word for savory pie in Greek. A year ago, we embarked 

on the beginning of a project that hoped to examine the viability of pita on the world 

restaurant stage, as, say, an alternative to pizza. Something that could carry a vast 

range of Greek foods between its crisp layers of pastry, something hand-held that could 

be established as a concept even in fast-food outlets, but versatile enough to hold its 

own on the most haute menus, Greek and non-Greek alike. A Greek savory pie might be 

filled or flavored with almost any food Greeks export: feta, kasseri, myzithra, Anthotyro, 

Kefalotyri, graviera and the rest of the wide gamut of cheeses are perfect fillings for a 

savory pie; olives of every size and color and provenance, together with herbs, or a splash 

of ouzo, are a great vegetarian filling; our wealth of seafood and farmed fish, mixed with 

herbs, olive oil, and more, make excellent savory pie fillings; so does our charcuterie. 

Greek vegetables, paired with grains like small pasta or rice or trahana, combine to make 

a world of fillings with regional distinction. our greens—examined in this issue for their 

nutritional value—make the healthiest fillings. Greek pita might be sweet, too, filled 

with velvety custards, Greek nuts and dried fruits, even spoon sweets and, of course, 

honey, which dampens nut fillings and adds an irresistible component to syrups. It is 

drizzled over many sweet cheese pies, too. 

our pita experiment is still in its formative stage right now, but it’s a food and a project 

I believe in. 

that doesn’t mean, of course, that there isn’t more on the Greek plate to share with the 

world, especially with ANUGA, the world’s largest food trade show, at hand. Come to 

find us at the hePo booths. We have a stronger than ever presence this year and will 

treat you, if not to a crisp slice of Greek savory pie, than surely to the stuff of its fillings. 

Cheeses, olives, olive oils, and many more delicious ingredients from Greece, all to be 

washed down with a great glass of Greek wine, await you. 

Panagiotis I. Papastavrou 

Chairman, hePo 


Letter from the Ceo of hePo 

Anuga, the world’s most important food and Beverage trade fair, opens its doors in 

Cologne from the 10th till the 14th of october. this trade fair is a meeting point of the 

biggest food and beverage producers with the top business leaders in every segment of 

the food industry. 

Anuga takes place every two years. In 2007 more than 6600 businesses participated 

from 95 countries covering an area of 304.000 square meters. It was also visited by 

163.000 trade people from 174 countries. 

Anuga is the barometer for gauging new food trends, since many innovative products 

and marketing concepts are launched and promoted here. 

hePo, in the framework of its mission as the official state authority responsible for the 

promotion of Greek food and beverage products, is organizing a particularly large Greek 

presence this year. We certainly have the know-how and experience to do it: In the 30 years 

of hePo’s existence, we have organized more than a thousand Greek trade exhibitions all 

over the world, embracing the active participation of more than 30,000 businesses. 

hePo has played a seminal role over the last few years in making Greek food, wine and 

beverages more visible in the international market. our products, known for their innate 

healthfulness and high quality, have attracted intense interest among global food and 

beverage buyers and other foodservice professionals. this year’s Greek business participation 

in Anuga is particularly dynamic and impressive, not only in terms of overall presence 

and promotion, but in terms of the number of exhibitors in the Greek pavilion: 187 

Greek export businesses, chambers of commerce, authorities and organizations. Greek 

participation takes place in six halls – sectors occupying 3000 square meters in total, 

representing all the sectors of our country in the food-beverage branch. 

In order to promote our country’s food and beverage sector in the best and most efficient 

way worldwide, hePo will support the Greek presence through the well-known 

KerASmA initiative. We at hePo aim to make the Greek presence noticed, through 

the large range of products that this year’s sizeable number of companies is presenting. 

our export presence in the food and beverage sector is growing stronger every year, and 

Anuga only helps to open up the network of communication and distribution channels 

on an even grander global scale. 

Stop by to visit us at Anuga. You will be treated the Kerasma way, with hospitality, 

healthy, innovative choices, and great Greek flavors poised for the international stage. . 

the goal of our participation this year is to make the presence of Greece noticed, not only 

in terms of a large number of businesses but in terms of the spectrum of Greek products 

promoted as well to the benefit of our country and Greek export businesses, thus giving 

the opportunity to Greek businesses to open new communication channels with buyers, 

distribution networks, branch authorities and mass communication media in the targetmarkets. 

Andreas Katsaniotis 

Ceo of hePo 


GreekGourmetraveler 

Greek Food, Wine & Travel Magazine 

Editor-in-Chief 

Diane Kochilas 

Editorial Assistant & Translations 

Evelyna Foukou 

Art Director & Designer 

k2design 

HEPO Liaison 

Anastasia Garyfallou 

Contributors 

Diana Farr Louis, Georgia Kofinas, 

Meropi Papadopoulou, Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou, 

Effie Vasilopoulou 

Contributing Chefs 

Christos Athanasiades, Miltos Karoumbas, Lefteris 

Lazarou, Christoforos Peskias, Stelios Parliaros 

Photography 

Yiorgos Dracopoulos, Clairi Moustafelou, 

Vassilis Stenos 

Food Styling 

Tina Webb 

Printing 

Scripta 

ISSN 

1790-5990 

Cover 

Vassilis Stenos 

Publisher 

Hellenic Foreign Trade Board 

Legal representative 

Andreas Katsaniotis, CEO 

Marinou Antipa 86-88 

Ilioupoli, 163 46 Athens, Greece 

Tel: 00 30 210 998 2100 

Fax: 00 30 210 996 9100 

http://www.hepo.gr 

http://www.kerasma.com 

4 GREEKGOURMETRAVELER 

FALL 2009 

13 

Information and subscription 

GreekGourmetraveler, a publication 

of the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board, 

promotes Greek cuisine, wine, travel, 

and culture. The magazine is distributed free of 

charge to food-, beverage-, wine-, 

and travel-industry professionals. 

If you wish to subscribe, visit our website 

at www.hepo.gr or www.kerasma.com 

Reproduction of articles and photographs 

No articles, recipes, or photographs published in 

the GreekGourmetraveler may be reprinted without 

permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. 

GreekGourmetraveler ©Hellenic Foreign Trade 

Board. Greek Food, Wine & Travel Magazine

Letter from the edItor 

thirteen—a propitious number. It seems hard to believe that we’ve gotten through 13 

issues of the GreekGourmetraveler, covering so much of this country’s food and wine 

industry and evincing, in every issue, the wealth of great flavors that are Greek. What I 

have come to realize, though, is that the subject is endless, especially in a country with 

more than 2,000 years of good, healthful, delicious foods on its plate. 

In this, the 13th issue, we cover many of the foods and wines that have been part of the 

Greek kitchen for eons, and many that are new—relatively speaking—to the cuisine. 

Greens, for example, for which Greeks have had a passion since antiquity, are examined 

from the standpoint of serious science. dr. Antonia trichopoulou, world-renowned 

physician and nutrionist, together with her team of scientists, writes about the amazing 

nutritional value of one of the most humble foods, the country’s greens pies. But we also 

cover pies—Greek pita—in another story, taking a look at how this rustic food might offers 

endless variety and a viable dining choice in many a non-Greek settings. 

It took 13 issues before covering what is arguably this country’s best-known wine: retsina. 

Veteran wine writer meropi Papadopoulou teaches us to clink glasses with one of the 

country’s two officially named traditional Wines, pointing out that today’s retsina has 

come a long, light way from the overwhelmingly piney wines of recent memory. Some of 

Greece’s top wine makers, in fact, have embarked on a retsina adventure. 

retsina goes well with many of the robust, rustic dishes that are comfort food to us 

Greeks. Georgia Koffinas, veteran GGt writer, looks at the comforting, hearty dishes of 

Greece and how they might be co-opted on non-Greek menus around the world. 

In another article, Koffinas examines one of Greece’s most revered essentials, salt, a 

fascinating story. 

Another veteran GGt writer, diana farr Louis, takes us on a journey through thrace, in 

Greece’s northeastern corner, through the colorful streets and markets of Xanthi and beyond, 

to examine the unique flavors of this remote, fascinating melting pot of a region. 

But she doesn’t stop there. In another piece, executed with her nimble writer’s wit, we 

get a glimpse of what is one of Greece’s most beloved, yet relatively new, foods: rice. the 

ancients knew it as an exotic, eastern plant. for centuries, it was so dear only the very 

rich could afford it. Its soothing qualities gave it therapeutic value for centuries. But it 

took two millennia for the village cook to turn it into wedding food, or pilafs, or stuffings 

for Paschal meats and vegetables. 

finally, we look at what is arguably the most basic of all basics in the Greek kitchen: 

olive oil, in an article entitled Beyond extra Virgin. 

So, as usual, our 13th lineup is a potpourri of Greece’s edible and imbibable treats. Greek 

meals are long ones, filled with the social, the nutritious, the delicious. from my perch as 

editor of the GreekGourmetraveler, the Greek cupboard has an endless wealth of ingredients 

to fill a library full of GGts. 

enjoy. 

diane Kochilas 

editor in Chief 

the GreekGourmetraveler 


Nutrition Corner 

The Mediterranean diet is a plant based diet and 

phytochemicals, abundant in plant foods have been 

implicated in its beneficial effects (1) . One of the phytochemical 

groups that appear to have a positive effect 

on health is the polyphenolic compounds, including 

flavonoids. 

The nutritional 

value of traditional 

Greek green pies 

Antonia Trichopoulou 1, 2 and Effie Vasilopoulou1 

1 WHO Collaborating Centre, School of Medicine, University of Athens 

2 Hellenic Health Foundation 


The estimated flavonoid intake 

from the traditional Greek diet was 

found twice as high compared to 

that in the non-Mediterranean 

populations (2) . This is partly due to 

the plant based Greek foods that 

are included in the traditional diet 

amongst which green pies have 

a prominent position. The basic 

ingredients for the preparation of 

green pies are phyllo dough, wild 

and/or cultivated greens and extra 

virgin olive oil. However, depending 

on the recipe other ingredients such 

as cheese, eggs and milk can also be 

added. 

The Greek land, abundant with 

a variety of edible wild greens, 

offers the potential for creative 

dishes of high nutritional value. 

Edible greens along with legumes, 

vegetables and extra virgin olive oil 

represented, for many decades, the 

core of the daily diet of the Greek 

population. The daily availability 

of edible wild greens is more than 

20 g /person, which represents a 

substantial fraction of the total 

daily availability of vegetables (3) . 

Wild greens, which are an integral 

references 

1. Saura-Calixto, F., & Goñi, I. (2009). Definition of the 

Mediterranean diet based on bioactive compounds. Critical 

Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 49(2), 145-152. 

2. Dilis, V., Vasilopoulou, E., & Trichopoulou, A. (2007). 

The flavone, flavonol and flavan-3-ol content of the Greek 

traditional diet. Food Chemistry, 105, 812-821. 

3. Dafne Databank, Greece, 2004, www.nut.uoa.gr/ 

dafnesoftweb, access 17th September, 2009 

4. Salvatore, S., Pellegrini, N., Brenna, O.V., Del Rio, D., 

Frasca, G., Brighenti, F., & Tumino, R. (2005). Antioxidant 

characterization of some Sicilian edible wild greens. Journal 

of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53 (24), 9465-9471. 

5. Trichopoulou, A., Vasilopoulou, E., Hollman, P., Chamalides, 

Ch., Foufa, E., Kaloudis, Tr., Kromhout, D., Miskaki, 

Ph., Petrοchilou, I., Poulima, E., Stafilakis, K., & Theophilou, 

D. (2000). Nutritional composition and flavonoid content of 

part of the Mediterranean culinary 

culture, are a rich source of flavonoids 

(4, 5) , which are implicated in 

the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean 

diet. 

Extra virgin olive oil also plays a 

central role in the traditional Greek 

diet. Its contribution to the health 

effects of the diet is significant, not 

only due to its beneficial properties 

but also because it promotes the 

high consumption of vegetables 

and legumes. The liberal use of olive 

oil in traditional Greek dishes leads 

to a high total lipid intake, around 

40% of the total energy intake. At 

the food level, many green pies 

contain extra virgin olive oil as the 

exclusive added lipid. So in these 

cases (green pies without cheese), 

it has been found that often more 

than 55% of their energy value 

derives from olive oil, resulting in 

a lipid profile high in monounsaturated 

fatty acids and low in cholesterol 

(6) . 

Wild greens and consequently 

green pies are sources of dietary 

fibre, minerals, vitamins and 

antioxidants. The specific miner- 

the edible wild greens and green pies: a potential rich source 

of antioxidant nutrients in the Mediterranean diet. Food 

Chemistry, 70, 319-323. 

6. Research project 97-DIATRO-30 Report. “Nutrition Strategy: 

Contribution of Traditional Greek Foods to the Health of 

Consumer’s”. (1999 – 2001) Supported by the General Secretariat 

of Research and Technology and the European Union in the context 

of “Operational Programmes for Research and Technology” 

7. Samson, L., Rimm, E., Hollman, P.C.H., de Vries, J.H.M., 

& Katan, MB. (2002). Flavonol and Flavone intakes in US 

health professionals. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 

102, 10, 1414-1420. 

8. Hertog, M.G.L., Hollman, P.C.H., Katan, M.B., & Kromhout, 

D. (1993). Estimation of daily intake of potentially 

carcinogenic flavonoids and their determinants in adults in 

The Netherland. Nutrition and Cancer, 20, 21-29. 


als, vitamins and antioxidant 

components contained in the wild 

greens may differ from plant to 

plant depending on the diversity, 

the season or the environmental 

conditions. Traditional Greek 

pies always contain a mixture of 

greens, while the recipe in terms 

of species and quantity of greens 

cannot be standardized, since it 

always depends on the availability 

of the specific greens in the fields 

each time. The rich flora of the 

Greek landscape always makes it 

easy for the Greek housewife to 

substitute one green with another 

in the preparation of green pies. So 

while it is characteristic for one or 

two specific micro components to 

prevail in the individual greens, the 

green pies result in “a cocktail” of 

beneficial micro components due 

to the blend of wild greens included 

in their preparation. We should 

keep in mind that diversity of food 

intakes is a principle in almost all 

dietary recommendations. 

In relation to the flavonoid content 

of green pies, dominant subclasses 

are flavonols and flavones. It was 

9. Trichopoulou, A. (2007). Mediterranean diet, traditional 

foods, and health: Evidence from the Greek EPIC cohort. Food 

and Nutrition Bulletin, 28, 2, 236-437. 

10. Peterson, J., Lagiou, P., Samoli, E., Lagiou, A., Katsouyanni, 

K., La Vecchia, C., Dwyer, J., & Trichopoulos, D. (2003). 

Flavonoid intake and breast cancer risk: A case-control study 

in Greece. British Journal of Cancer, 89, 1255-1259. 

11. Lagiou, P., Samoli, E., Lagiou, A., Tzonou, A., Kalandidi, 

A., Peterson, J., 391 Dwyer, J., & Trichopoulos, D. (2004). 

Intake of specific flavonoid classes and coronary heart 

disease-A case-control study in Greece. European Journal of 

Clinical Nutrition, 58, 1643-1648. 

12. Lagiou, P., Samoli, E., Lagiou, A., Peterson, J., Tzonou, A., 

Dwyer, J., & Trichopoulos, D. (2004). Flavonoids, vitamin C 

and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Cancer Causes Control, 

15, 67-72.

found that two pieces of green pie 

contain about 12 times more quercetin 

than one glass of red wine and 

three times more quercetin than a 

cup of black tea, which are considered 

main sources of quercetin for 

North European countries (5) . The 

flavonol and flavone content of 

green pies (5) , is sufficient to exceed 

the estimated daily flavonoid intake 

of the US (7) and the European (8) 

populations. Undoubtedly green 

pies are a rich source of flavonoids, 

although the proportions of the 

Wild greens and consequently 

green pies 

are sources of dietary 

fibre, minerals, vitamins 

and antioxidants. 

Traditional Greek pies 

always contain a mixture 

of greens. 

individual flavonoids may differ 

depending on the species of greens 

used. Given that green pies are 

palatable and easy to consume as a 

snack, they are usually consumed in 

large quantities. 

The composition of the traditional 

Mediterranean diet includes several 

foods with antioxidant potential, 

but the overall diet includes other 

cardio-protective components, 

such as reduced saturated fats and 

greater use of unsaturated lipids, 

particularly from olive oil. Tradi- 

tional foods are integral components 

of the traditional Mediterranean 

diet and contribute to its 

health-promoting attributes (9) . 

Several studies, many conducted in 

Greece, have shown that the intake 

of flavonoids has an inverse relation 

to several chronic diseases (10-12) . 

Traditional foods such as green pies 

are particularly rich in flavonoids, 

which makes this specific traditional 

food of the traditional Greek diet 

a healthy, nutritious and delicious 

daily snack. 


The time is ripe for rethinking the positioning of 

one of our most traditional foodstuffs, olive oil, 

on the global market. That market, no doubt, will 

change dramatically over the next decade, as consumers 

become more savvy and knowledgeable 

about specific regional oils and as a group of highend 

producers across Europe is hoping to redefine 

the standards for excellence. 

Beyond 

Extra Virgin 

Greek Olive Oil and the Super 

Premium Trend 

By Diane Kochilas 

Photography: Vassilis Stenos 

Food styling: Tina Webb 


Their idea: to move beyond the 

extra virgin category into a more 

exclusive, narrowly defined realm 

of super premium olive oils. These 

oils, distinct in flavor, unmatched 

in pedigree, carry with them the 

aromas of their particular region or 

microclimate. What super premium 

wines are to the wine world, super 

premium olive oils would be to the 

food world: something to relish 

with care and to savor in specific, 

thoughtful ways. Greece, with its 

many regional olive oil varieties and 

specific regional flavor profiles, is in 

a great position to reap the benefits 

of the super premium trend. 

A conference in late June organized 

jointly by the University of California, 

Davis (the premiere agricultural 

university in the U.S.), and the 

Culinary Institute of America was 

a seminal event, exploring the best 

production practices, the sensory 


qualities, and the culinary and business 

possibilities for the best quality 

extra virgin olive oil. The various 

Greek oils represented came from 

every corner of the country, among 

them: Lesvos, Kritsa, Galatas and 

Siteia (Crete), Kranidi (northern 

Peloponnese), and Kalamata. No 

doubt, there could have been many 

more exquisite regional oils, from 

Halkidiki, other parts of Crete and 

the Peloponnese, even places off 

The flavor spectrum 

of Greek olive oils is 

subtle but large. 

Every regional oil has 

its own distinct 

profile.

the beaten path in terms of olive 

oil production but where a few 

innovative producers are making 

strides, among them Zakynthos, 

Corfu, and Antiparos. But, arguably, 

the finest Greek oils—and there 

are many—are the single varietal 

oils from Mani, Parnonas, and 

Kalamata in the Peloponnese, and 

from Hania and Sitia, in Crete. The 

quality characteristics of these oils 

puts them in a world-class category. 

They are just waiting, literally, 

to be discovered. 

Part of the impetus for the conference 

is the sad fact that the world 

of extra virgin oils is far from pure. 

In the United States, there is no 

legal definition of the term Extra 

Virgin, nothing that states it needs 

to have an oleic acid content of 

less than 0.8%, which is one of the 

stipulations that define the term in 

Europe. Cunning producers (luckily 

no Greeks discerned among them!) 

have long known that and have 

acted in less than scrupulous ways, 

selling oils that are blended with 

seed oils and that sometimes contain 

as little as 10% extra virgin, all 

under the extra virgin label. Without 

extensive chemical analysis it is 

very difficult to determine exactly 

what’s in an “olive” oil. The problem 

came to a head a couple of years 

ago after a series of scandals in Italy. 

Fearing that such illicit business 

practices tainted the producers 

who do work ethically, a handful 

of top Italian and Spanish olive oil 

producers and agronomists mainly 

from the Accademia dei Georgofili, 

in Florence, banded together to 

form an organization called TRE-E. 

TRE-E in Italian means three Es, for 

ethics, excellence, and economy. 

The group’s objective and the aim 

of the California conference was to 

begin the push for a new approach 

to olive oil, to develop standards 

for super premium oils and to 

rethink the marketing of such oils. 

“The conventional wisdom is that 

‘extra virgin’ means excellence. Our 

premise is that that isn’t the case,” 

said Dan Flynn, Director of the Olive 

Center at UCDavis. “California is 

the perfect place to take a fresh approach 

toward one of the Mediterranean’s 

oldest foods,” noted Dr. 

Claudio Peri, an agronomist with 

the Accademia dei Georgofili . 

The push for new standards means 

that Super Premium Olive Oil would 

be defined by free acidity levels 

of less than 0.3%, peroxide value 

of less than 7.5, UV absorption of 

232nm (K232) less than 1.85, and an 

absence of sensory defects. Producers 

of super premium oils with 

the TRE-E guarantee would have 

specific obligations including documentary 

transparency and traceability, 

control over the production 

process, and the willingness to 

submit to a yearly evaluation. 

This all might bode quite well for 

Greek olive oils. 

“The super premium trend is an effort 

to transform extra virgin olive oil 

into a gastronomic experience,” says 

Aris Kefalogianis, owner of Gaea, 

one of Greece’s most visible olive oil 

companies. “It responds to the need 

to create real added value to olive 

oil. Excellence is the only way to 

sustainability,” he continues. 

“I am definitely in favour of the 

trend, as I believe that certain Greek 

oils have what it takes to fit into 

the super premium category, says 

another produser Dimitris Portolos, 

whose early harvest (agourelaio in 

Greek) olive oil from the Halkidiki 

region is considered one of the finest 

in Greece. For Greek producers, 


he continues, “It would be best to 

go by particular characteristics of 

particular oils and less by specific 

regions, which require some knowledge 

by the user. Types of olives can 

also play a part.” 

“Super premiums are definitely the 

way to go, not only for small producers 

but also for small-medium 

enterprises,” adds Kefalogianis. “It’s 

the latter, in my view, that will help 

spread the word about the super extra 

virgins and provide the marketing 

force to make this a global trend. 

But we must not forget that only 

a handful of Greek oils fit the high, 

strict standards ot the TRE-E model. 

We need to increase that number to 

a significant one,” he notes. 

“Greece has several excellent quality, 

single varietal oils that not 

only can compete with other fine 

oils, but also win in blind tastings. 

Several regions in Greece, especially 

within the Peloponnese and in 

Crete, produce some of the finest 

extra virgin oils in the world. These 

can easily fit into a super premium 

category,” notes Kostas Marianos, 

one of the few bottlers and exporters 

of a Greek estate oil. 

Certainly more than a few producers 

and the growing number of 

estate bottlings (with large enough 

production) might be able to meet a 

set of rigorous quality standards on 

a yearly basis. The key though is to 

be able to balance excellence with 

production quantities that make 

it feasible to export the oil. But 

fragmented production, especially 

among small producers, is an issue. 

“Estate bottlings are in general uneconomical,” 

says Portolos. It is no 

use producing a couple of thousand 

of litres, which usually have to be 

pressed and bottled elsewhere.” 

The quantities, he reiterates, must 

be reasonable to support an export 

strategy. There is another issue 

relating to estate and other smallscale 

production. 


“Estate bottlings are not the way 

to go, because there aren’t enough 

large estates to make or market 

such a product in a financially viable 

way,” says Kefalogiannis. 

The vast majority of Greek oil producers 

owns small groves, which 

produce small harvests. “It makes 

more sense for them to consolidate 

their production with that of 

other producers, to blend, in other 

words,” notes Marianos. It’s virtually 

impossible for them to market their 

own oil themselves because they 

have limited resources, he adds. 

What happens as a result is that 

the blended oil is often less than 

the sum of its parts, qualitatively. 

“Fine oils” that are blended lose their 

identity, Marianos continues. It is 

exactly this dilemma that the push 

toward super premiums might address, 

because these highly unique 

oils would sell for a premium, thus 

enabling small-scale farmers to reap 

the rewards of their efforts.

In a world filled with mass-produced 

Spanish, Italian, and soonto-arrive 

Californian oils, Greek 

producers cannot compete on 

price. Production costs are higher 

and, production is, as stated earlier, 

fragmented. But Greek producers 

can certainly compete easily on 

quality. “For a country like Greece, 

which produces mostly extra virgin 

oils [more than 80% of Greek oils 

are extra virgin], many of them PDO 

or PGI, this trend can be only beneficiary”, 

says Marianos. “It is a way 

to promote the fine oils that Greece 

produces and differentiate from the 

mass production oils from other 

Mediterranean countries, most of 

them blended with low quality oils. 

If, and when, in the future the 

market trend for premium oils prevails, 

Greek producers will be in the 

position to capitalize on it. Greek 

producers, big or small, should 

focus only on producing the finest 

quality they can, because this is the 

Greek regional olive 

oils, especially single 

variety oils, pair well 

with an extraordinary 

range of foods. 

only way for them to be rewarded 

someday,” notes Marianos. 

“The super premium trend is an effort 

to transform extra virgin olive oil 

into a gastronomic experience,” says 

Aris Kefalogianis, owner of Gaea, 

one of Greece’s most visible olive oil 

companies. “It responds to the need 

to create real added valie to olive 

oil. Excellence is the only way to 

sustainability,” he continues. 

But this is a wake up call if ever 

there was one. Will someone, 

somewhere hear the message that 

there needs to be a coherent strategy 

for marketing our liquid gold 

and our oldest, most revered food? 

oLIVe oIL AS A ProfIt CeNter 

Here’s a novel idea for entrepreneurial 

restaurateurs: Open an 

oleoteca! Taking the example of 

a Tuscan restaurant and resort 

operator, the idea of offering olive 

oil tastings to clientele in the restaurant 

often means that you are 

selling the oil at way more than a 

premium. 

By offering an olive oil tasting of 

say three to five super premium 

oils, the idea is to introduce consumers 

to a high-end concept 

around olive oil. The oils could 

be rotated on a regular basis for 

variety, and also to get customers 

tasting, sampling, and trying the 

oils with different foods. The oils 

must be the main player in a meal 

in order to involve diners in the sensory 

and gastronomical experience 

of tasting them. 

For most restaurant operators, 

olive oil is a cost, not a profit center. 

This new way of presenting the oils 

allows the restaurateur to transform 

a cost into significant earnings. 

The price of the oil becomes an 

explicit part of the price of a meal. 

Three 30-ml samples might sell for 

10 euro, which comes to something 

like 110 euro a litre, not a bad rate of 

return! 


One of my favorite summer pastimes is collecting 

crystal flakes of sea salt from the shallow pools along 

Greece’s rocky shores. It gives me a sense of continuity, 

knowing that ancient Greeks harvested salt 

much the same way, by hand from thousands of such 

small, shallow saltpans along every craggy coast. 

Greece’s 

White Gold: 

Sea Salt 

“Those who do not know the sea… 

never eat their food mixed with salt.” 

Homer 

By Georgia Kofinas 




Sea salt is the traditional—indeed, 

the only—salt in Greece. In fact 

the origin of the Greek words for 

salt, alas, and sea thalassa have 

the same root, referring to the 

briny liquid from the sea. Salt was 

a de rigueur seasoning among the 

ancients, and ancient as well as 

Hellenistic literature is filled with 

mention of it. The ancient Greeks 

used salt to preserve fish, meat, 

vegetables, olives, and cheese, 

among other things; to not use it 

was a sign of barbarism for ancient 

gourmands. 

Salt has always been a revered 

commodity but not a rare one in 

sea-surrounded Greece. Ancient 

Athenians got most of their salt 

from the saltpans around Rafina, 

in Attica, as well as from Megara 

and Sounio, the latter renowned 

for its high quality, refined texture, 

and white color. So esteemed was 

the salt around the environs of 

Athens, that Athenians had a lively 

trade in it with Thrace, spending 

their salt money on Thracian 

slaves, who were called halonitoi 

(bought with salt). Demand for 

salt in the ancient world increased 

as the population around the 

Mediterranean grew; despite 

the relatively easy supply of sea 

salt, demand necessitated more 

efficient harvesting. It took until 

the 10th century for salt collecting 

to be systematized, thanks to the 

Arabs, who introduced the method 

of successive evaporation ponds, 

which is still in use today. 

Salt has been a major source of revenue 

for Greece basically since the 

inception of the Greek state. The 

production of salt has been a state 

monopoly since 1829. Today, Greece 

produces from 180,000-200,000 

tons of sea salt annually depending 

on climatic conditions, the fluctuation 

of the sea level and the salinity 


of the various saltpans (also called 

salinas). Not all of that ends up in 

the salt shaker. About 30,000- 

40,000 tons end up on the roads 

in winter, sprinkled by trucks to 

melt the snow; the rest ends up on 

the supermarket shelf, either used 

industrially in the food processing 

industry or sold simply as common 

kitchen salt in various sizes. 

(coarse, semi-coarse, fine, etc.) 

mAKING SALt 

Today, the salt industry in Greece 

operates at three different levels, 

categorized according to the degree 

of human intervention, explains Dr. 

Theodora Petanidou, a professor of 

geography at the University of the 

Aegean, who has done extensive research 

on salt-making techniques. 

Most of the saltworks are fully 

mechanized industrial plants that 

are profitable thanks to the high 

productivity and chemical purity

of the salt produced. There is only 

one semi-mechanized plant left, 

on Lesvos, where the first stage of 

the harvest is done manually. Then 

there are the primitive, small-scale 

salinas, carved into coastal rocks 

with a simple or complex series 

of basins for the evaporation of 

seawater. 

Seven fully mechanized industrial 

Greek saltworks operate around 

the country under the aegis of Hellenic 

Saltworks S.A., in which the 

Greek state has a 55% share, local 

governments another 25%, and the 

privately held Kalamarakis-Kalas 

the remainder. The basic concept 

for making salt is easy: seawater 

is collected in a series of shallow 

ponds, and, over the course of 

the sunny, windy Greek summer, 

evaporates. When the liquid that 

is left has the desirable level of 

sodium chloride, the concentrated 

seawater is moved to special ba- 

Olives are just one 

of countless Greek 

ingredients that rely 

on sea salt for flavor. 

sins called crystallizers. Here, the 

seawater evaporates even further 

to crystallized salt. This step-bystep 

controlled water evaporation 

allows for the elimination of unwanted 

salts such as calcium and 

magnesium while retaining the 

beneficial elements. Production 

manager of Hellenic Saltworks, 

Christos Milas, says that among 

the eighty plus elements contained 

in sea salt, iodine is the least stable. 

While present in the salinas, 

iodine is lost in the process of 

crystallization which is why commercial 

salt companies add iodine 

and stabilizers to refined salt. The 

drawback is that additives such as 

anti-caking agents and the refinement 

process rob sea salt of many 

of its beneficial qualities. 

The process, however, is by and 

large environmentally friendly. Not 

only do the Greek saltworks provide 

a basic natural food element, 

but they also play a major role in 

conserving nature. According to 

Christos Milas all seven Hellenic 

Saltworks sites are IMAS certified, 

which is the environmental equivalent 

of ISO 2000. Salt processing 

spawns a whole ecosystem of 

microorganisms that are fodder 

for more than 100 species of birds, 

among them pink flamingoes. 

Many Greek salt marshes are a 

bird-lovers paradise, in fact, where 

almost 200 species migrate and 

congregate throughout the year. 

ArtISAN SALt 

In the last few years, artisanal 

salt, produced on a small scale 

the traditional way, by manually 

transferring seawater into a series 

of shallow pools until it evaporates 

and crystallizes, has become 

popular in Greece. This is intensive 

manual labor. Most artisan salt producers 

don’t have the manpower 


to harvest a large amount of salt 

once a year, so they harvest smaller 

quantities throughout the year. 

Most artisanal salt is produced in 

Kythera, Lesvos and the Mani. In 

Kythera, about 20 artisanal salt 

producers operate, typically off 

leased public land, either selling 

their salt in bulk to bigger—but 

not big-- companies or packaging 

and marketing it themselves. One 

such producer is Tasos Venardos of 

Kalamitsi Products, which harvests 

about 8 to 10 tons of delicious 

island salt, about half of which ends 

up on the shelves of high-end food 

markets. The rest is exported to 

Germany, Scandinavia, Russia, and 

America. 

Some of the oldest small-scale salt 

producers are in the Mani. One of 

the best- known salt families is an 

old local clan named Chotassa. The 

matriarch, Stavroula Patouhea, explains 

that it takes 20 to 25 days for 

a 100 kilos of seawater to evaporate 

and crystallize into about 70 kilos of 

salt, depending, of course, on the 

weather. They transport the brine 

from pool to pool by donkey, mule, 

or farm vehicles and, once the salt 

has dried sufficiently, they harvest 

it by hand. Local cheese-makers buy 

up most of the harvest and the rest 

is sold in bulk. 

One of the most innovative and 

enterprising Mani salt producers 

is a young woman named Eleni 

Chaidou, whose company, Mani- 

Rocks, markets flavored salts and 

salt products. She obtains her 1- to 

2- ton annual supply of sea salt from 

local producers and infuses it with 

herbs and spices such as sage, basil, 

saffron, and ginger. She has also 

started a line of salt-based cosmetics 

products. 

Food companies with a wide range 

of products are also focusing on 

salt, among them Mylelia, whose 

owner Christina Panteleimoniti 

has developed a line of seasoned 

salts, culled from the salt works of 

Kalloni, in Lesvos, her husband’s 

native island. She infused her salts 

with the likes of mastic, seaweed, 

and lemon and orange zest. 

Even Hellenic Saltworks has been 

experimenting with high-end salt 

products, such as fleur de sel, called 

afrina in Greek. This is an unrefined 

natural sea salt harvested from the 

corners and edges of the small shallow 

salt pans, which gives it a finer, 

frothier texture and taste than 

the other crystallized salt. A few 

companies are already marketing 

afrina, including Trikalinos, whose 

black, cylindrical flat can gives the 

salt a decidedly gourmet air, and 


Filion, a Greek-German company 

that packages the salt in jars. 

moderN ChefS…Worth theIr SALt 

Although unrefined sea salt has 

been used in cooking for ages, there 

is a growing trend among creative 

chefs to use the crystallized flakes 

in the presentations of dishes, 

both savory and sweet. Konstantina 

Faklari, chef at Santorini’s 

famed Selene restaurant owned by 

Giorgos Hatziyiannakis, makes a 

delightful chocolate mousse topped 

with strawberries and sprinkled 

with sea salt from Kythera. Another 

suggestion calls for simply serving 

sea salt in tiny bowls next to strips 

of fresh vegetables much as you 

would a dip. And of course the light 

airy texture and flavor allow for 

using sea salt as a garnish for grilled 

vegetables, grilled fish, and salads, 

just to mention a few. 

Chef Jean Charles Metayer of award 

winning Calypso restaurant of the 

Elounda Peninsula Hotel in Crete 

makes a delectable sea urchin 

crème brûlée served with a spinach 

sauce topped with sea salt foam. 

He also makes a salt-crusted baked 

fish, infusing the salt crust with a 

bit of thyme and a pinch of tobacco, 

which adds a distinct, smoky flavor 

to the dish. 

In the last few years, artisanal salt has 

become popular in Greece.


When most non-Greeks think of a crisp, warm Greek 

pie they think Spanakopita, one of the signature 

dishes of the Greek kitchen, which has crossed ethnic 

boundaries to become an international favorite. 

Greek Pie 

Squared 

Greek savory pies—pita—offer 

endless possibilities at every 

dining level 

By Diane Kochilas 




But most Greeks have a much 

broader sense of what a pita is: 

phyllo, homemade or commercial 

nowadays, filled with an endless 

array of delicious Greek ingredients, 

from feta, kasseri and other 

cheeses, to wild greens and herbs, 

olives, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, 

fish and seafood, meats, seasonal 

vegetables, even starches like rice 

and trahana. 

There are countless incarnations 

of this ingenious, traditional food. 

Start with phyllo dough, factor 

in a variety of fillings, multiply by 

different shapes and sizes and the 

mathematical possibilities are, 

well, infinite! 

In Greece, pita is not bread. Greeks 

call the flatbread known to Americans 

as pita, Araviki pita, Arab 

bread, denoting its provenance. In 

the Greek kitchen this flatbread has 

but one use, as a wrapper for gyro 

and souvlaki, warmed on the griddle 

the better to absorb the tangy 

tzatziki that is slathered generously 

within. 

But Greek pita—savory pie—is a different 

story altogether. Greek pita 

can be any relatively flat stuffed pie 

or bread, and can take any shape, 

from round to square to triangular 

or even coiled. It can be individual 

and handheld—think large triangle 

or half moon—or made in a sheet 

pan or even a tart pan and cut into 

serving pieces. It can morph into 

gourmet beggar’s purses, so long 

as there is phyllo and filling. Pita 

and their diminutive pitakia (small, 

individual shapes) are usually baked, 


but in some regions, especially the 

Aegean islands, these small pies end 

up more often cooked in the skillet 

in plenty of olive oil than in the oven. 

Pita can even be served with sauce 

or, more traditionally, with yogurt 

or soft, sour fermented cheese on 

the side. While the crust sandwiching 

that endless array of fillings 

is typically phyllo, there is also a 

whole range of traditional northern 

Greek pies that call for a crust of 

cornmeal, made by sprinkling handfuls 

on the top and bottom of the 

pan. The cornmeal cooks together 

with the pie filling’s natural juices 

or with a little milk or water poured 

on top and turns crunchy during 

baking. There are also batter pies, 

named with a little poetic license, 

tembelopita—lazy pie—because

their preparation is fast and easy 

and does not require the laborious 

task of working with phyllo. 

Savory pies evolved as a way to 

stretch the larder and make a 

substantial, filling meal from a few 

simple ingredients. We find pites 

(pl.) in every region of Greece, but a 

few regional cuisines in particular 

are indelibly linked to these delicious, 

rustic treats. Mainland and 

northern Greece, from Thessaly 

and Roumeli to Epirus, Macedonia 

and Thrace are the undisputed 

home of Greek pita. The dish was 

born out of the itinerant shepherds’ 

tradition as a way to make a hearty 

meal that could be cooked in situ in 

makeshift dome-shaped ovens that 

were part of every clan’s panoply of 

kitchen gear as they moved from 

Greek savory pies in 

every shape and size 

make great hand-held 

treats. 

the lowlands to the highlands and 

back, migrating south in spring and 

north in summer. These pies could 

be made with almost anything that 

was on hand in a shepherd’s mobile 

larder, cheeses, milk, greens foraged 

in every season, a few grains 

of trahana thrown in for substance. 

The twice yearly migrations meant 

that extended families were traversing 

rough terrain, and these 

pies, which are easily transported, 

made for a very convenient food. 

reGIoNAL dIStINCtIoNS 

In Epirus alone, there are dozens of 

cheese pies, differentiated by the 

number of phyllo in each, or the 

type of cheese, or the combination 

of cheese and something else— 

eggs, greens, rice, etc. Greens pies 

are truly endless. In Macedonia, 

cheese pie is made with a kind of 

homemade phyllo that resembles 

puff pastry. 

In the Aegean islands, for example, 

small greens pies sometimes 

contain up to 15 or 20 different wild 

greens and herbs, everything from 

wild fennel, lemon balm and poppy 

leaves to stinging nettles, chard, 

chervil and more. They are nutritional 

powerhouses, packed with minerals, 

vitamins, and antioxidants. 

Greek savory pies are an exceptional 

conduit for a vast range of 

Greek ingredients, and one only has 

to look at the regional varieties to 

get an inkling of the possibilities. In 

the Ionian islands, for example, we 

encounter some unusual pies that 

combine different meats; Cephalo- 


nian meat pie, made with pork, 

beef, and lamb, is a well-known 

local dish. But then so are the 

aromatic meat pies of Epirus, which 

are usually made on special occasions, 

such as New Year’s. Meat and 

trahana pies are a constant theme 

running through the cuisine of 

Thessaly and Macedonia. 

VeGetABLe PIeS 

One of the most endearing aspects 

of Greek pita cuisine is the 

number of vegetables and the 

endless combinations therein that 

Greek home cooks have devised 

as filling. Some of these pies are 

tied to specific regions, too. For 

example, eggplant pie is a specialty 

of Thessaly and there are 

dozens of variations on the theme. 

Pumpkin, not an ingredient most 

non-Greeks readily think of as part 

of the traditional Greek kitchen, 

plays a great role in the country’s 

autumn pies, both sweet and 

savory. Pumpkin married with 

mint, feta, and onions is a favorite 

combination. Summer squash is 

another favorite, especially in the 

island cooking. One great dish is 

the boureki from Hania, which 

calls for layering a local cheese, 

xinomyzithra, with slices of fresh 

zucchini and lots of mint between 

layers of phyllo. The end result is a 

delicious, perfumed summer pie. 

In the small villages around the 

Prespes Lakes in northern Greece, 

roasted peppers become a favorite 

pie filling. One of the most unusual 

pies I have ever encountered is an 

old Macedonian Lenten dish for 

a walnut, onion, and tomato pie. 

Whenever I make this, friends and 

family members immediately think 

the filling contains ground meat, 

it’s so hearty. 

Of all vegetables, though, greens are 

arguably the most important filling. 

Greece’s incredibly rich flora provides 

an unimaginable array of fillings for 

savory pies. A friend, botanist, and 

chronicler of the wild greens and 

herbs of Crete once said to me that 

if you know the greens you’ll never 

go hungry. I might add to that: if you 

know the greens and you master the 

art of making phyllo dough, you will 

always be sated. 


the Art of PhYLLo 

I will never forget the first time I 

saw a Greek cook “open”—that’s the 

verb Greeks use—her own phyllo 

pastry. From a simple mixture of 

flour, salt, water, and olive oil, and 

starting with walnut size pieces of 

dough, she opened sheet after sheet 

of paper-thin phyllo using a tool that 

seemed to me at the time uncannily 

primitive: a simple dowel, the kind 

you can buy at your corner hardware 

store. She broke off nuggets of 

dough from the large ball she’d made 

and let rest, slapped the first one on 

a floured surface, and worked the 

disk along the dowel, coaxing it out 

from the center with her nimble fingers. 

This she did with an impressive 

economy of movement and speed. In 

less than three minutes she’d opened 

five or six sheets. 

In this day and age, the arcane art 

of phyllo is helped along by two 

inventions: the pasta maker and the 

commercially available box of frozen 

or refrigerated phyllo. The latter 

doesn’t lend the same warm comfort 

to the final pie, but it is convenient 

and quick and enables the cook

to concentrate on creating fillings 

both imaginative and traditional. 

In the regional kitchen, every corner 

of the country also has its phyllo 

recipe. Some call for yogurt in the 

dough (the Ionian), which lends 

a springy texture to the pastry; 

others call for a copious amount of 

olive oil, which gives the dough a 

delicious flavor and helps make it 

crisp. Yeast is added in some places, 

baking powder or other leaveners 

never, at least to the best of my 

From individual pies, easy to hold, to whole 

pan pies, Greek pita offers endless options at 

every dining level. 

knowledge. Eggs are an ingredient 

in some homemade phyllo. Greek 

home cooks say the phyllo needs 

acid to help make it crumbly, and 

the acid of choice for most is either 

a shot glass of raki or ouzo, white 

wine, lemon juice, or vinegar. 

VerSAtILItY ANd Comfort 

One of the beauties of Greek savory 

pies is that they are accommodating. 

These versatile dishes are 

perfect for a simple weekday meal 

or a festive dish for entertaining. 

They make a great appetizer or hors 

d’oeuvre, but they can also be made 

into a substantial, rustic or sophisticated 

main course. 

Something magical happens when 

you cloak a filling, any filling, so 

long as it’s tasty, in between layers 

of phyllo or beneath a crust of 

earthy corn meal. No matter how 

you prepare Greek savory pies, the 

whole will always seem greater 

than the sum of its parts. 


Meat and Trahana Pie 

1. Heat half the olive oil in a large, 

heavy skillet over medium-high heat 

and brown the meats. Remove and 

cool slightly. Shred by hand into small 

bite-sized pieces. 

2. Add the remaining olive oil to the 

skillet and add the onion. Cook over 

medium heat until soft. Add the spices 

and stir for 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup of 

water, raise heat, and bring to a boil. 

Cook the trahana in this over medium 

heat until it absorbs all the water. 


From The Wine Roads Cookbook 

6 to 8 servings 

5 Tbsp. extra virgin Greek olive oil, plus extra for brushing 

8 oz./ 250g boneless lamb, cut into chunks 

8 oz./ 250g boneless pork, cut into chunks 

8 oz./ 250g boneless beef, cut into chunks 

4 large onions, finely chopped 

½ tsp. each of freshly ground black pepper, cumin, allspice, and 

nutmeg 

½ cup sweet trahana 

½ cup grated kefalotyri cheese 

Salt to taste 

1 package commercial phyllo, at room temperature 

Remove and toss in with the meat in 

a large bowl. Add the cheese, mix in, 

and adjust the seasoning with salt and 

additional spices. If the mixture seems 

a little dry, drizzle in some olive oil and 

mix. 

3. Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F. Lightly 

oil a large round baking pan. Place 

four sheets on the bottom of the pan, 

brushing each lightly with olive oil. 

Place one-third of the filling over the 

phyllo, and layer with another two 


Kerasma Pie Recipes 

sheets, brushing those, too, with olive 

oil. Press down lightly with your hands 

to compress the pie a little. Continue 

with a third more of the filling, two 

sheets of phyllo, brushed with olive oil, 

and top with remaining third of filling. 

Layer three sheets over the top of the 

pan, brushing these with oil, too. 

4. Sprinkle a little water over the top 

layer of phyllo. Score into serving pieces 

and bake for about 50 minutes, or 

until golden. Remove, cool, and serve.



Leek and Greens Pie without Phyllo 

1. Combine the spinach, leeks, scallions, 

and herbs in a large colander and 

sprinkle with the salt. Rub the mixture 

against the sides of the colander continuously, 

for about 10 to 15 minutes, 

to get as much of the liquid out of the 

greens as possible. Take a small handful 

at a time, squeeze out the excess 

moisture, and place in a mixing bowl. 

2. Preheat the oven to 375ο F/ 190ο C. 

Mix 1/2 a cup of olive oil into the 

greens. Add 1 cup of the cornmeal and 

the cheese and mix altogether. 



8 servings 

2 pounds / 900g spinach, trimmed, washed and chopped 

2 large leeks, whites only, finely chopped 

10 fresh scallions, trimmed and remainder chopped 

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, washed and chopped 

1 bunch fresh mint, washed and finely chopped 

1 Tbsp. salt 

1 1/4 cups extra virgin Greek olive oil 

2 cups fine yellow cornmeal 

1 pound / 450g Telemes cheese, crumbled (about 3 cups) 

2 ½ cups milk 

1 to 1½ cups water 

2 large eggs 

3. In a medium-sized saucepan, scald 

the milk. Add the remaining cornmeal 

in a steady stream, stirring all the 

while until the mixture thickens to a 

heavy batter. Remove from the heat. 

Season with a little salt. 

4. Oil a large round or rectangular 

baking pan. Pour half of the milk-andcornmeal 

mixture over the bottom of 

the pan, spreading it evenly. Spread 

the vegetable filling evenly over the 

batter and flatten out the surface with 

a spatula. Dilute the remaining half of 

the batter with as much water to make 

a batter that’s as thick as pancake 

batter. Pour this over the top of the 

filling spreading it as evenly as possible. 

Beat together the eggs and the 

remaining olive oil and pour over the 

surface. Bake for about 1 hour, or until 

the cornmeal crust is set. Remove, cool 

slightly and serve. 


Kerasma Pie Recipes

Asparagus fields, miles and miles of them, spread 

out on both sides of the road from Chrysoupoli 

airport to the Thracian city of Xanthi. I had flown 

north for a conference and knew only three things 

about the place: It was the center of Greece’s tobacco 

industry, it had given birth to composer Manos 

Hadjidakis, and it possessed one of the last almost 

virgin forests in Europe. 

Thrace 

A food lover’s tour 


By Diana Farr Louis 

Photography: Clairi Moustafellou 

and Vassilis Stenos 

Food styling: Tina Webb

That asparagus should be grown 

in such quantities both surprised 

and angered me. My favorite spring 

vegetable, it could not be found in 

Athens. Practically the entire crop 

– stubby white stalks with mauvey 

tips and slim, green spears – ended 

up on German and Austrian dinner 

tables instead of mine. 

Luckily, this infuriating state of affairs 

has improved since 1998 and a 

modicum of the harvest filters down 

to my farmers’- and supermarkets, 

almost enough to satisfy my cravings. 

Meanwhile, I was to discover 

that this elongated, most northeasterly 

region of Greece produces more 

than enough delicacies to make 

one’s mouth water all year long. 

Continuing up the Xanthi road, I 

noticed other crops flourishing on 

the broad band of alluvial plain that 

parallels the coast between the 

rivers, the Nestos and the Evros, 

which form Thrace’s borders with 

Greek Macedonia and Turkey. Cotton, 

potatoes, tomatoes and sugar 

beets, though not as glamorous, do 

add to the region’s prosperity, while 

closer to town an array of shiny 

new factories showed why unemployment 

is not a problem here. 

One of them, Mevgal, now based in 

Thessaloniki, but with ties to its na- 

Nestos River Delta Nestos River 


tive Thrace, is Greece’s third largest 

dairy company. 

Produced since 1952, Mevgal’s feta 

bears a PDO (Protected Denomination 

of Origin stamp), while its 

yogurt comes in several types. I 

shamelessly opt for the version 

made with full fat sheep’s and 

goat’s milk. It’s one of the very 

few on the mass market sold with 

the traditional thin layer of skin 

covering the rich, creamy yogurt. 

But here’s the good news: That 

same luscious skin can be found on 

the semi-skimmed variety as well. 

Smaller plants produce telemes, 

another PDO cheese, which is a

ine cheese like feta, made from 

cow’s milk.Factories and fields don’t 

sound very exciting, but there is 

nothing dull about Xanthi itself. 

On one side of town faded, still 

imposing tobacco warehouses 

evoke the days when the area’s 

blond cigarettes rivalled Winston- 

Salem’s. On the other, comfortable 

Macedonian-style houses with 

half-timbering, ornamented facades 

and enclosed balconies flank 

cobbled lanes that wind first gently, 

then steeply to the Upper Town. 

There, Anatolian aromas betray the 

presence of minute, old-fashioned 

grocery shops, where open sacks 

Canoeing in Xanthi 

of cuminseed, paprikas of varying 

intensity and kouskousi, beads as 

fine as wampum but flecked with 

red hot chillis and sesame seeds, 

awaken longings for a spicy repast 

that cannot be quelled. 

Luckily, Xanthi restaurant menus 

also promise Anatolian flavors. 

Whether you dine on the “paralia” 

– in elegant surroundings on 

the leafy banks of the Kosynthos 

river –or on “taverna alley” near 

the main square, you will confront 

dishes rarely found in Athens or 

abroad. Dishes like sarmadaki 

(liver, rice, spring onions and mint 

wrapped in vine or cabbage leaves), 

- Lake Vistonida 

- The great agricultural plain of Thrace 

phyllo cigars filled with pastourma 

and cheese, likourinos (exquisite 

smoked mullet fillets) and tourlou 

riganato. Here tourlou is not 

the usual southern Greek version 

of ratatouille but rather cubes of 

chicken and pork sautéed with tomato 

and generously sprinkled with 

grated cheese. 

The likourinos, though, piqued my 

curiosity. Greece boasts a plethora 

of cured fish treats usually made 

with mackerel, herring, anchovies, 

and sardines, not to mention the 

delectable avgotaraho or bottarga, 

salted, dried mullet roe from the 

lagoons of western Greece. But 


likourinos had never crossed my 

plate before. One reason is that this 

slender, male grey mullet prefers 

cooler, northern waters; another is 

that few people make it any more. 

Only one company, Paschalidis, 

located in the central Thracian city 

of Komotini, prepares it to certified, 

professional standards – along with 

literally dozens of other fishy specialties, 

including cod pastourma, tsiros 

(dried mackerel fillets) and lakerda 

(bonito slices preserved in oil). 

Gastronomic novelties turn up 

all over the region. Many of them 

arrived with the tens of thousands 

of Greek refugees from the coastal 

towns of what is now Turkey after 

the population exchange of 1922. 

Recreating beloved tastes was one 

way of easing their adjustment to 

the new homes offered to them in 

Thrace and Macedonia. Then in the 

‘80s, Thrace welcomed a new wave 

of displaced Greeks, this time from 

the Soviet Union’s Black Sea coast. 

As one man, with a father from 

Crete and a mother from Smyrna, 

told me, “We are all refugees here.” 

Refugees seeking consolation in 

dishes from their ancestral kitchens. 

Heading southeast from Xanthi, the 

road passes through more typically 

Aegean villages and scenery. 

We’re back in the land of the olive 

and scattered ruins – like those of 

Abdera, where Democritus invented 

atomic theory, and Maronia, where 

thick olive groves camouflage 

a thousand years of antiquities 

almost as completely as its echoes 

of Homer. Contemporary finds – 

plump fried mussels, skordalia made 

with equally plump Thracian garlic 

cloves, and local olives – relished 

at a nearby beach taverna discourage 

further archeological sleuthing. 

Maronia olives contain a mystery. 


Large and sweet, they allegedly 

need no soaking or brining, but can 

be enjoyed right off the tree. Their 

wrinkled relatives, throumbes from 

the nearby island of Thasos, can also 

be consumed without curing when 

fully ripe. But they become even 

sweeter when packed in coarse salt 

and crumbled marjoram. 

For more characteristically Thracian 

foods, we push north, past the fish 

tavernas of Alexandroupoli, past 

the wildlife sanctuaries of the Evros 

wetlands and Dadia, to Soufli and 

Didymoteicho. 

Once the heart of a booming silk 

industry, Soufli is now a living 

museum, the only place in Greece 

where gossamer threads are still 

unwound from silk worms and woven 

into fabric for everything from 

the smallest hanky to the broadest 

bedspread, blouses, shirts and ties. 

Hardly a shop sells anything but silk. 

Wines, tsipouro, cured 

fish, Throumbes olives, 

Telemes a local PDO 

cheese, asparagus— 

these are just some of 

Thrace’s local products.

That Soufli has also become a food 

and wine center is not so apparent. 

But the owners of the luxury cars 

we see parked outside a well-known 

restaurant in the vicinity have not 

made their profits on silk. Most 

likely, they raise the cattle and pigs 

that supply meat- and supermarkets 

round the country. Not only 

are Thracian beef and pork highly 

prized, much of it ends up in packing 

plants to be turned into bacon, 

salamis and, especially, sausages. 

Eastern Thrace must be the sausage 

capital of Greece. Usually 

laced with hot pepper, its sausages 

can be made with pork or beef or 

combinations of the two, seasoned 

with cumin and leeks or garlic, 

and existing in as many versions 

as there are butchers. The initial 

recipes arrived with the Asia Minor 

refugees almost ninety years ago. 

I will never forget the sight of the 

butcher shops in Didymoteicho 

one election day. Hundreds of native 

sons and daughters had come 

home to vote and were stocking 

up on nostalgia foods to take back 

to Athens, Thessaloniki, and other 

cities where they worked. Like 

surreal beaded curtains, strings 

of sausages – pale pink, dark red, 

green-flecked gray – dangled from 

ceiling to floor, blocking every shop 

window. They gradually thinned 

as shoppers staggered out lugging 

heavy bags of this booty to sustain 

them through the winter. 

Of the region’s other meaty specialties, 

two stand out: pastourma 

and kavourma. Pastourma, cured 

beef loin smothered in a heady 

paste of fenugreek, cumin, paprika 

and garlic announces its presence 

from a distance. This well-known 

Anatolian meze can be purchased 

from delicatessen counters all over 

Greece and abroad. Kavourma, 

is the other main meat delicacy 

of Thrace. Although I have only 

encountered it in loaf rather than 

potted form, the taste and texture 

reminded me of French rillettes 

de porc. It can be made from pork 

boiled with onions, cumin and its 

fat until meltingly tender; or from 

beef or, more interestingly, local 

buffalo meat, preserved in fat. Once 

strictly a local agrarian product, 

Kavourmas is now sold all over 

Greece, considered by local foodies 

to be one of the country’s most delicious 

preserved meats. 

But domesticated animals are not 

the only meat produced in Thrace. 

Deer, boar, hare and other game 

roam the vast, almost virgin forests 

in the Rhodopi mountains that separate 

Greece from Bulgaria. Rather 

than rely on hunters to supply city 

markets with game, enterprising 


usinessmen have been creating 

game farms. In addition to shipping 

whole carcasses south during 

the holiday season, they also freeze 

hare, venison and boar steaks and 

roasts for special occasions year 

round. To these native fauna, some 

farmers are introducing ostriches, 

whose lean meat is slowly winning 

fans in Greece. 

It was at a game farm cum restaurant 

near Soufli that I first noticed 

a lovely wine that would become 

a ubiquitous accompaniment to 

lunches and dinners in eastern 

Thrace. Back in the 1870s when 

French engineers were overseeing 

the construction of the Orient 

Express line that would connect 

Paris with Constantinople, they 

were thrilled to discover that the 

whole plain from Alexandroupoli to 

Soufli was a vineyard. They introduced 

some of their own varieties 

and encouraged the locals to adopt 

French growing and wine-making 

techniques. Those in the Soufli 

area, particularly, listened well and 

old records testify to an annual 

(partial) production of 4 million 

bottles. The mind boggles trying to 

Soutzouk loukoum, 

traditional Thracian sweet 

project what would have happened 

if such collaboration had been allowed 

to continue. Alas, the Balkan 

and First World wars decimated 

both vineyards and growers. 

But signs are propitious for a comeback. 

Two vintners exist: Bellos 

Brothers in Soufli, who made the 

reds and whites we came to savor; 

and Evritika Kellaria (Evros Cellars), 

near Orestiada further north, which 

I have not tasted. Promising wonderful 

blends is the fact that they 

have 16 different grapes to work 

with. Two were originally French 

but have changed character with 

the terroir, the others Greek varietals 

mostly unknown elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, at Maronia, an eponymous 

vintner is making a splash 

on the market with the unusual 

brandname of Kanenas (Nobody), 

as Odysseus called himself in his 

encounter with the Cyclops. They 

combine mainstream grapes like 

Chardonnay and muscat of Alexandria 

or Syrah and the local Mavroudi 

with interesting, appealing results. 

Finally, near Avdira (modern Abdera) 

Domaine-Vourvoukeli, founded 

just 10 years ago, aspires to revive 

Halva, a tradition in Thrace, 

where sesame once thrived. 


Thrace’s ancient wine-making tradition. 

They too mix the familiar and 

the local, producing an Assyrtiko- 

Sauvignon Blanc, a Limnio-Cinsault 

rose, and a Merlot-Pomiti, all with 

organically grown grapes. 

For a final sampling of Thracian 

gourmandise, we drove over the 

oak-wooded foothills of the Rhodopi 

mountains to Komotini. Green 

as Ireland, there was barely a hint 

of habitation until a lone shepherd 

waved from the roadside. In contrast, 

Komotini, a city of 40,000 

people, throbbed with life, both in 

its Greek squares and cafés and its 

old market district. There, shops 

are not shops in the ordinary sense. 

Seemingly shambolic piles of goods 

claim half the sidewalk outside 

murky interiors and disappear 

altogether behind metal shutters 

after hours. Transactions take place 

on the street, and most items are 

made where they are sold – from 

clusters of related workshops or 

souks, whether forged iron, shoes, 

clothing or artisanal foods. 

The aroma of freshly roasted 

chickpeas (garbanzos) hovers over 

the entire marketplace, enticing 

Kavourmas, one of Greece’s most 

beguiling cured meats.

us towards a large wood-burning 

oven where the humble legume is 

being turned into stragalia. Salted 

and crunchy, these were a favorite 

snack before designer potato chips 

and popcorn won the younger 

generation. But stragalia still have 

many loyal fans and Komotini 

produces 30 percent of what they 

munch. 

The smoky, sultry scent of toasted 

sesame seeds reigns in the next 

alley. Here, they are boiled with 

honey to make tooth-challenging 

pastelli (sesame brittle); ground 

and kneaded with sugar into loaves 

of halva, a sweet especially popular 

during Lent; but also pounded into 

tahini, a viscous paste that pours 

even more slowly than molasses. 

Greeks spread it on bread like 

peanut butter, with or without 

honey or jam, add it to soups, salad 

dressings and eggplant salad, and 

bake it into cakes and cookies. Most 

seeds for these industries are now 

imported; Komotini keeps the 500 

or so pounds of choice black sesame 

seeds grown in the district for home 

consumption on breads and pies. 

Beyond the tahini-makers, confectioners 

are dipping threaded wal- 

nuts into thick syrup as if they were 

lumpy candles. The process is laborious 

for the syrup must dry before 

it’s dipped again and the “candle” 

must be at least as thick as a plump 

sausage. In fact, this distinctive 

sweet is called soutzouk loukoum 

– soutzouk as in sausage, loukoum 

as in Turkish delight. The confectioners 

also make those, so we 

add several handfuls of bite-sized 

rosewater-perfumed loukoumia to 

the sweet and savory “sausages” in 

our bulging shopping bag. 

Luckily some of the tastes of Thrace 

are portable. And they travel well. 


Asmapita/Yogurt and Grape Leaf Pie 




4 scallions, finely chopped 

4 Tbsp. olive oil 

2 Tbsp. melted butter 

12-16 grape leaves, blanched and 

desalted 

6 Tbsp. strained yogurt 

1 bunch dill, finely chopped 


Kerasma Thrace Recipes 

1 bunch parsley, finely chopped 

1 bunch mint, finely chopped 

Salt, pepper 

4 Tbsp. cornstarch 

For the garnish: 

2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds 

1. Preheat the oven to 350ο F / 180ο C . 

2. Sauté the chopped scallions in a 

little oil and butter until they slightly 

brown. Put them aside to cool. 

3. Brush a shallow oven dish with a little 

oil and butter and layer the bottom 

with half of the grape leaves so that 

they hang over the edges. Brush each 

leaf with oil and butter. 

4. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt 

with the spices and the sautéed scallions. 

Season with salt and pepper. Add 

the cornstarch and mix with a wire 

whisk to thoroughly combine. Spread 

this mixture evenly on top of the grape 

leaves. Place the rest of the leaves on 

top, brush with butter and oil and fold 

the overhanging leaves on top in order 

to close the pie. Brush with the rest of 

the butter and oil and sprinkle with 

sesame seeds. 

5. Bake for 45 minutes, until the filling 

thickens and the leaves become crisp. 

Can be served warm or cool.

Parsley-Scented Braised Lamb with Avgolemono 





½ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil 

2¼ - 4½ pounds / 1-2 kilos lamb shoulder, bone in, 

cut into serving pieces 

1½ pounds / 700g fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed 

and leaves finely chopped 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

1 large egg, separated 

Juice of 2 large lemons 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over 

medium-high heat and brown the lamb. 

Stir in the parsley and reduce the heat 

to low. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add enough water to come about 

halfway up the contents of the pot. 

Cover and simmer until the lamb is very 

tender, about 1½ hours, adding water 

if necessary to prevent sticking. There 

should always be liquid in the pot. 

2. When the lamb is cooked, prepare 

the egg-lemon sauce: Beat the white 

until foamy and almost stiff. Whisk 

the yolk and lemon juice together. Fold 

the yolk-and-lemon mixture into the 

beaten white. Add a ladleful of the 

pot juices to the egg mixture in a slow 

steady stream, whisking all the while. 

Pour the avgolemono into the pot, 

remove the pot from the heat, and tilt 

the pot so that the sauce is distributed 

evenly. 


Phyllo Flutes Filled with Walnuts and Tahini 

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip 

together the tahini and sugar at high 

speed until smooth and creamy, about 

5 minutes. As you whip the mixture, 

if it is too thick – it should be the consistency 

of peanut butter – drizzle in 

the water, in ¼-cup increments, until 

the proper consistency is achieved. 

Then, using a wooden spoon, mix in 

the walnuts and cinnamon, combining 

thoroughly. Set aside. 


From The Glorious Food of Greece 

30 pieces 

2 cups tahini 

2 cups sugar 

1-1 ½ cups water, as needed 

3 cups finely ground walnuts 

2 tsp. cinnamon 

1 pound commercial phyllo, thawed and at room temperature 

½ cup extra virgin olive oil 

3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, as needed, for dusting 

2. Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C. 

Lightly oil 2 sheet pans. 

3. Open the phyllo and place horizontally 

in front of you. Cut into three 

6-inch (15 cm) strips. Stack the phyllo 

strips and keep them covered with a 

kitchen towel. Take one strip, place 

it vertically in front of you, and oil 

sparingly. Place a second strip on top. 

Place a tablespoon of the filling in 

the bottom center of the strip, fold in 



the sides, and then roll up to form a 

tight cylinder. Place seam side down 

on the baking pan. Continue with the 

remaining phyllo and filling until all 

the ingredients are used up. Bake until 

lightly golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove 

and cool slightly. While the pastry is 

still warm, sift confectioners’ sugar 

over it generously. Store in tins in a 

cool, dry place. The pastry will keep for 

about 5 days.


My family ran a restaurant in the American South 

in the 1950s and ‘60s. It wasn’t a Greek restaurant 

and the only dish my Greek parents dared to put on 

the menu was a Greek salad. Mainly what we served 

was good old Southern barbecue, but that’s not to 

say that Greek food wasn’t cooked in the restaurant 

kitchen. At least one burner on the huge gas stovetop 

was reserved for my mother, who would prepare 

a separate family meal for us every day. 

Greek 

Comfort 

Food 

By Georgia Kofinas 

Photography: Clairi Moustafellou and Vassilis Stenos 



On that burner was cooked all the 

nostalgic, traditional food that my 

immigrant parents remembered 

from their own childhoods and 

passed down to us. Needless to 

say, it was this food, comforting 

and wholesome, that we all looked 

forward to every day. 

Thanks to those family meals, I was 

never able to embrace the institutional 

public school lunch food 

that all my classmates ate. I began 

to bring my lunch from home. My 

classmates were astonished at the 

things my mother packed into my 

lunch bag. They had never seen 

a buttery cheese pie—one of my 

favorite lunch foods--and I recall 

how they looked at me agape as I 

devoured it. This was my comfort 

food, but it clearly was not theirs. 

What is comfort food for one person 

may be a complete put-off for someone 

else. Culture and history play a 

major role in determining what each 

of defines as comfort food. What is 

universal in the notion of comfort 

food is the familiar; a comforting 

dish serves forth not only good taste 

and nutrition but a sense of emotional 

security and well-being. The 

dictionary defines comfort food as 

being typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, 

and easy to prepare. 

Greek cuisine is filled with foods that 

bestow health and well-being, that 

sate the soul, so to speak. Most are 

inexpensive and easy to prepare, but 

many are also time-consuming, the 

kind of dishes a mother would go to 

extra lengths to prepare, as a way to 

please the family. 

Most comfort foods, Greek and 

not, have starchy complex carbohydrates, 

which provide us with 

energy but also have a calming affect 

on our bodies. Potatoes, pasta, 

bread, and other starches contain 

the necessary carbohydrates that 

clear the way for the brain to receive 

more tryptophan, an amino 

acid that becomes serotonin, a neurotransmitter 

that, among other 

things, affects our mood. (Lack of 

serotonin, for example, could lead 

to depression.) It is not surprising 

that our bodies seek these “comfort 

foods” in time of stress. Traditional 

Greek cuisine certainly has a rich 

supply of complex carbohydrates. 

Pastitsio, roasted lemony potatoes, 

chicken and noodles with tomato 

sauce, and soft rice-and-vegetable 

dishes are some of the classic 


Greek comfort foods. These are just 

some of the dishes handed down 

from generation to generation of 

women, the foods with which they 

nurtured the home. 

Greek cuisine essentially is a homebased 

cuisine. “Greek food is the 

ultimate comfort cuisine,” says 

chef Costas Tsingas. “It is made up 

of dishes that remind us Greeks 

of our mothers’ cooking. Most of 

these foods are prepared all over 

the country.” Tsingas says that the 

new twists on comforting, rustic 

Greek dishes don’t count as comfort 

food. “They have to be untouched, 

the stuff our mothers and grandmothers 

lovingly spooned onto 

our plates when we needed to be 

pampered.” 

Comfort PAStA, GreeK StYLe 

Pasta probably ranks first on the 

list of favorite comfort foods. Greek 

pasta comes in a rich variety of sizes 

and shapes suitable for countless 

combinations with meats, vegetables, 

sauces, seafood, or alone with 

grated cheese, melted butter, or 

warmed olive oil. A classic dish is 

pastitsio with its aromatic ground 

meat and tomato sauce strewn 

Comfort food is basically the repertoire of 

hearty, rustic homemade Greek fare, but that’s 

not to say that these delicious dishes have no 

place in restaurants both Greek and non-Greek.

etween two layers of macaroni 

tossed with grated kefalotyri 

cheese and topped with béchamel. 

A quick and simple variation to pastitsio 

is buttered spaghetti topped 

with a rich ground beef and tomato 

sauce and generously sprinkled 

with grated kefalotiri. Greek egg 

noodles, “hilopites,” have always 

been a favorite, either plain with 

browned butter and a sprinkle of 

grated cheese, or alongside chicken 

stewed in rich tomato sauces, perfumed 

with cinnamon and allspice. 

Pasta has been around in the Greek 

kitchen for many centuries. Pota- 

toes have not, but, upon their arrival 

in the 19th century, they quickly 

worked themselves into the comfort 

food range, thanks to their unique 

ability to absorb the flavors of the 

foods with which they are cooked, 

from lemon and herbs to those 

warm-spiced tomato sauces. Roasted 

chicken and potatoes, a classic 

comfort food in many western 

kitchens, has its Greek version, too, 

in the form of a lemon-and-oregano 

flavored bird and delicious potatoes 

roasted in the same pan with lots 

of olive oil, good salt, and highly 

aromatic Greek herbs. Potatoes go 

into the pan with Greek baked burgers, 

biftekia; fried (in olive oil) they 

become one of the greatest comfort 

foods of all, and a fast one, too. 

Comfort IN A GreeK SoUP BoWL 

Greece, with its temperate clime, 

is not a soup-loving nation, but 

a few hearty soups hit the spot. 

First among them is the classic 

avgolemono with chicken, a tangy 

chicken-rice or chicken-orzo soup 

in a broth made thick with egg 

and lemon. Nothing lifts a flagging 

spirit more than a steaming bowl of 

avgolemono. 


One of the classic Greek soups might 

seem like a hard sell as far as comfort 

food goes, but it is a favorite among 

kids: lentil soup. Greek cooks make 

it with lots of olive oil and almost 

always throw in a bay leaf for flavor. 

Another comforting bean soup 

is the classic—some say national 

dish—fasolada, a white-bean-andvegetable 

soup made, again, with 

lots of soothing, texture-smoothing 

extra virgin Greek olive oil. This 

hearty bean soup, both frugal and 

nutritious, pulled Greeks through 

many a hard time during the two 

world wars and the Depression. It 

is still standard fare on the winter 

menus of traditional Greek tavernas, 

especially those in the mountain 

regions where hungry diners want 

to be, well, comforted, after a day of 

brisk outdoor activities. 

ComfortABLY…WrAPPed 

Does our other national dish, souvlaki, 

count as comfort food? Can 

comfort come in a meal one generally 

eats while standing? If the 

nostalgia element is an important 

one in defining comfort food, then 

souvlaki (grilled pieces of meat 

wrapped in pita bread and embellished 

with tzatziki and tomatoes) 

is definitely on the list. There is 

hardly a Greek who does not get 

the occasional yen for this robustly 

seasoned wrap, recalling his or 

her meals as a kid or young adult, 

maybe while living far from home 

as a student. Souvlaki has pacified 

whole generations of fussy, 

hungry children and left them with 

pleasant associations as adults. 

It’s not exactly health food, but it’s 

good! 


Soothed BY rICe 

Rice, the other major starch in the 

Greek kitchen, insinuates itself into 

many dishes that are comforting 

and healthy. Stuffed vegetables, 

especially tomatoes and peppers, 

are a comfort food in summer, 

while the range of velvety Greek 

cooked rice and vegetable dishes, 

especially spanakorizo, spinach and 

rice, warm belly and soul in colder 

months. Rice is the main ingredient 

in the greatest comfort food of all, 

rice pudding, so soothing it’s a dish 

one often eats when sick. 

Comfort IN A SAVorY PIe 

Top on my list for comfort food 

are pites—the vast array of Greek 

savory pies. One caveat: to be really 

comforting, the phyllo should be 

homemade. I have fond memories

of my mother rolling out paper-thin 

sheets of homemade phyllo, which 

she layered with cheese and eggs 

and a whole cornucopia of seasonal 

vegetables, such as spinach, leeks, 

grated squash or wild greens, depending 

on the season. Homemade 

phyllo has a completely different 

texture than the commercial stuff. 

The homemade stuff is heartier and 

not as flaky, although a copious 

amount of olive oil will make it 

crisp. The commercial stuff makes 

these pies easier to prepare. For 

me, a good piece of savory pie is like 

“hugging yourself inside.” 

Comfort oN the meNU 

Comfort food is basically the repertoire 

of hearty, rustic homemade 

Greek fare, but that’s not to say 

that these delicious dishes have no 

place in restaurants both Greek and 

non-Greek. 

Indeed, today, these dishes are more 

timely than ever. The vast array of 

Greek comfort foods offers healthy 

choices, simple techniques, robust 

flavors, reasonable food costs, value 

for money, and, maybe more than 

anything else, authenticity. 

Restaurants present comfort foods 

in various ways. Among the Greek 

restaurants in the United States, for 

example, comfort food plays a major 

role on the menu. These are, after 

all, the dishes most customers have 

come to know as real Greek food. 

One of the most entrenched, 

traditional Greek restaurant areas 

is Greektown in Chicago, where 

steam-table cuisine is still the norm 

in many restaurants that are enviably 

successful. At least one, Greek 

Islands, for instance, serves on 

average a thousand people a day. 

But a few brave souls have ventured 

beyond the narrow parameters of 

Greektown in attempt to bring the 

cuisine closer to the mainstream. 

The mainstream wants comfort, 

too, judging by most menus, but 

they want it served forth a little 

more elegantly. 

At Avli Estiatorio, a new place on 

the north side of Chicago, for example, 

owner Louie Alexakis retains 

the traditional recipes for dishes like 

mousaka and pastitsio, but bakes 

them in individual casserole dishes, 

not sheet pans. This way, customers 

get it piping hot out of the oven 

with a fresh béchamel topping. 

At another new Chicago restaurant, 

Taxim, chef David Schneider 

brings many childhood memories, 


from summers spent with his 

maternal grandparents in Evia, to 

the menu at this innovative downtown 

restaurant. He traveled and 

ate around Greece before opening 

Taxim, and incorporates some of 

his culinary finds. Stuffed tomatoes 

and peppers, for example, are filled 

with bulgur, not rice; souvlaki is 

made with duck, not lamb or pork. 

Homemade yogurt, a great comfort 

food, has a strong, soothing presence 

in many dishes. 

In New York, restaurants approach 

the idea of comfort foods in various 

ways. Christos Valtsoglou, owner of 

Pylos, one of the city’s most popular 

Greek restaurants, offers a whole 

section under the heading Greek 

Comfort Foods in his menu. These 

include classic (and best-sellers) 

such as pastitsio, mousaka, chicken 

egg-lemon soup, spinach-rice pilaf 

and home-style fried fingerling 

potatoes. 

The menu at New York’s Molyvos 

was built around the concept of 

home-style cuisine, and follows a 

similar pattern of playing with alltime 

favorites. Chef James Botsacos 

serves items such as baked chicken 

with potatoes sprinkled with rosemary 

and mousaka with a yogurt 

béchamel sauce. 

On the West Coast, comfort seems 

to be in equal demand. San Francisco’s 

Kokari and sister restaurant 

Evvia in Palo Alto both serve elegant 

menus that include a fair share of 

familiar dishes, among them spanakopita 

(spinach-feta cheese pie), 

dolmades, avgolemono and lentil 

soups, lamb and chicken souvlakia 

wrapped in pita bread, and of course, 

mousaka made with ground lamb. 

These are just a few examples 

of how tradition has long been 

intertwined in Greek restaurant 

menus, but Greek comfort food is 

not necessarily limited to Greek din- 


ing establishments, especially since 

most of these dishes are accessible, 

easy, and nutritious. They offer 

chefs a delicious healthy alternative 

on Mediterranean and international 

menus. For a while in New York, for 

example, moussaka was appearing 

in miniature portions, about the 

size of a petit four in some places, 

but served as an accompaniment 

to main course protein like lamb. 

Chef Cedric Tovar, at the Waldorf 

Astoria’s Peacock Alley, had placed 

it next to grilled lamb chops on a 

recent menu. 

Comfort cuisine answers to our 

needs to be sated with healthy, 

hearty choices, to be restored, so 

to speak, as the original meaning 

of the word restaurant implies. So, 

before you slurp a gel ball or stare 

in wonder at a spoonful of air, think 

Greek pasta, olive-oil roasted potatoes, 

and maybe even a piece of 

feta-filled warm savory pie. 

Most comfort foods, 

Greek and not, have 

starchy complex carbohydrates, 

which provide 

us with energy but 

also have a calming 

affect on our bodies.


It’s hard to imagine the Greek kitchen without rice. 

Rice dishes – from soups to pilafs, stuffings to desserts 

– are so much a part of our daily diet that we 

take them for granted. But although the precious 

grain that keeps well over half the world alive was 

known to the ancients, it did not appear in Greek 

cooking pots until some two millennia later. 

Grains 

of Plenty: 

Greek Rice 

By Diana Farr Louis 




Like so many Eastern novelties, 

rice entered the Hellenic world as a 

result of Alexander the Great’s conquests. 

When his armies slogged 

past Persia into northern India, they 

encountered the plants growing 

in the southern foothills of the 

Himalayas, along the rivers where 

Basmati still grows today. Perhaps 

a bowl of rice stuffed their bellies 

and fueled their urge to march. In 

any case, through them knowledge 

of this new food reached Athens 

and eventually Rome but made no 

appearance at symposia or Lucullan 

banquets. 

Too expensive, too rare, it entered 

the medicine cabinet instead. 

Anthimus, a 6th-century court 

physician at Ravenna, valued its 

soothing qualities. He routinely 

prescribed rice boiled with goat’s 

milk until soft for upset stomachs 

and colics, as we still do today. 

In Greece, “lappá” – plain, boiled 

mushy rice – is universally recom- 


mended for intestinal problems and 

for children and old folks with irritable 

digestive systems. It would take 

several more centuries for westerners 

to be introduced to its culinary 

potential, while only in the modern 

era have scientists understood 

how its complex carbohyrates 

and minerals provide our bodies 

with nutrition and energy, its full 

complement of amino acids builds 

muscles, and its fibers reinforce the 

immune system. 

The wide range 

of rice varieties that 

grows in Greece each 

has its unique place in 

the kitchen.

Meanwhile, though Asians and 

Indians had been surviving and 

thriving on rice since time immemorial, 

it took Mohammed to 

make the West aware of it as food. 

Rice drizzled with clarified butter 

was the Prophet’s favorite dish, so 

naturally his followers acquired 

a liking for it, too. With the Arab 

conquest of the Iberian peninsula in 

the 8th century, the cultivation and 

consumption of rice – along with 

many other now common plants 

like lemons and bitter oranges, 

artichokes, spinach and a host 

of others – began to inch its way 

around the Mediterranean. By the 

10th century, Spain and Sicily were 

exporting rice, by the 15th Italians in 

the Po valley were making their first 

risottos. 

Rice must have come to mainland 

Greece from the East, with the Ottoman 

occupation, at around the 

same time. While some food historians 

believe that the Byzantines in- 

vented dolmades – the technique of 

using vine, cabbage or other leaves 

as wrappers for a rice stuffing – 

they would not have had access to 

rice until the 10th century, when it 

began to be widespread in the Holy 

Land, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. 

The Turks, however, placed rice 

at the heart of their kitchen, and 

the sultans, regardless of period, 

continued to emulate Mohammed 

in their infatuation with pilaf – itself 

a Persian word. 


Rice being imported by the overlords, 

considerable time must have 

elapsed before privileged Greeks 

were preparing it themselves, 

longer still before the average 

country person even tasted it. As 

a result, rice acquired a mystique. 

Rice dishes were served only on 

special occasions – at weddings 

as in western Crete or stuffed into 

an Easter lamb as on Samos or 

Andros. Its grains came to symbolize 

fertility and prosperity. But few 

families would have been wealthy 

enough to supply sackfuls of the 

precious food for guests to throw 

at newlyweds, a universal practice 

nowadays. 

the rICe reVoLUtIoN 

Almost everyone has read about 

the Green Revolution, whereby 

thanks to genetic manipulation 

and sounder farming practices 

yields have soared in places where 

rice is the staple for hundreds of 

millions of people. Yet few people, 

even Greeks, know that something 

similar occurred in this country. 

Until 1960, Greece imported most 

of the rice it consumed. While it 

still imports some short grain rice, 

it now ranks fifth among European 

producers in terms of exports 

– mainly of long grain rice. Annual 

harvests total 220,000 tons, 

120,000 after processing, with 50 

percent shipped abroad. 

The figures are negligible when 

compared with those of the giants 

– India (which accounts for 

one-third of the world’s rice), China 

and Indonesia – but nevertheless 

contain a fascinating tale. 

At the turn of the last century, the 

southern Peloponnese – Laconia 

and Messenia – began to cultivate 

rice, but the fields literally dried up 

as the area’s rainfall diminished, 

and now account for just a few 

Just a few of the ways Greek cooks use rice: as filling in dolmades, as a powdery starch for 

making loukoumia, and in soothing rice and vegetable dishes, such as tomatorizo (tomato rice). 


thousand tons. By midcentury, 

agriculture in Greece had virtually 

ceased, thanks to almost a decade 

of war. The Nazi Occupation and 

the Civil War left rural districts 

unfarmed and underpopulated. The 

country was starving, dependent 

on foreign aid. 

Early in 1949, an American agricultural 

guru, part of the post-war 

relief effort, paid a visit that was to 

set off ripples of change. He headed 

not south but north to the dusty 

salt plain of Anthili, where the Persians 

had camped in 480 BC before 

defeating Leonidas’s 400 Spartans 

at Thermopylai. But Walter Packard 

wasn’t thinking of the past. In the 

village café, he told the farmers 

how, with the help of American 

bulldozers and tractors, they could 

turn the Sperchios river delta green 

with rice shoots. 

The TIME magazine article of 

June 21, 1954, which reported the

event, goes on to describe how 40 

landowners allocated more than 

100 acres to the project, farmers 

worked their hoes for $1.50 a day, 

and US machinery diverted the 

course of the river. The villagers 

nicknamed Packard “Pappou” or 

Grandpa, and under his guidance 

expanded the 100 acres to 1,000, 

then 2,000 and by 1953 to 4,000 

acres. As the article concluded, “The 

gain to the Greek economy on an 

original U.S. overseas-aid investment 

of $43,000 was over $10 

million. More important, perhaps, 

was the fact that the farmers of 

Anthili for the first time in human 

memory were prosperous and selfsupporting.” 

This success story repeated itself 

alongside almost every river in 

northern Greece, with the exception 

of the Evros, which forms 

the border with Turkey. Although 

some rice is grown at the mouth of 

the mythical Acheron in Epirus and 

in the Acheloos delta near Agrinio 

(Aitolia), the bulk of Greek rice 

comes from Macedonia, with 75 

percent from around Thessaloniki. 

Its flat expanses, heavy rainfall and 

the presence of great rivers like 

the Axios, Loudias, Gallikos and 

Aliakmon create ideal conditions 

for rice. 

There are four basic methods of rice 

cultivation: upland or dry, hillside 

plants like those eked from poor soil 

in South America; rain-fed, shallow 

paddies, as in South Asia; deep water, 

grown in estuaries that may be 

flooded up to 15 feet; and irrigated, 

as practiced in China. In Greece, rice 

seeds are sown in April/May and 

are harvested in October/November. 

During this time, the fields are 

flooded for four days and left to dry 

for another four. Rice plants are 

happiest in shallow, slow-flowing 

water that can be regulated by irrigation. 

Botanists estimate that some 

100,000 varieties of rice exist, of 

which about 8,000 are cultivated 

in 110 countries. Fortunately, this 

unbelievably complicated plant can 

be squeezed into two basic types: 

oryza sativa Japonica and Indica, in 

other words, short grain and sticky 

or long grain and separated. A third 

type, Javanica, is less known in the 

west. Cooks also know their rice by 

function, i.e. Sushi rice and Risotto 

rice (Arborio, Carnaroli, for example), 

which belong to the Japonica 

category; Basmati to the Indica 

variety, while Carolina, a most 

popular all-purpose kind, medium 

grain and somewhat sticky, is also 

Japonica. 

The Sperchios River delta went green with rice 

shoots in the 1950s. Since then, almost every river 

in northern Greece has repeated that success. 

One can also classify rice by color, 

place of origin, processing (as in 

parboiled), and so forth, but Greeks 

have the following names for their 

home-grown varieties: 

Glassé – a white, medium-grain 

sticky rice used for soups and puddings. 

This is the rice we add to our 

favorite avgolemono (egg-lemon) 

chicken or fish soups, the Easter 

mageiritsa made with lamb’s innards, 

but also to the nursery treat, 

rizogalo, rice milk or pudding, that 

kids adore and for which many 

adults harbor secret longings. This is 

the rice grown in the Sperchios delta 

mentioned earlier, the Acheloos 

delta, and near Thessaloniki. 

Blue Rose – white, medium grain 

but less sticky, which is perfect for 

Greece’s huge range of “yemista” 

or stuffed dishes: stuffed peppers 

and tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, 

artichokes; fillings for chicken, turkey, 

lamb; and dolmades, whether 

made of vineleaves, cabbage, 

chard, lettuce, zucchini blossoms. 

It shares the same growing region 

as Glassé. 

Carolina – chalk white, medium 

grain, creamy, this variety grows 

near Serres in Central Macedonia, 

around the Strymon river delta. 

Some producers recommend it for 

yemista and yiouvarlakia (sim- 


mered rice-meatballs); others 

suggest using it for oven-baked casseroles 

and risottos, which Greeks 

are beginning to enjoy thanks to 

the proliferation of Italian restaurants 

in cities and islands. Though 

a ship from Madagascar allegedly 

brought the first grains to South 

Carolina in the 17th century, it has 

since spread far beyond the US 

Eastern seaboard. 

Nyhaki – white, long grain, this is 

the best rice for pilafs, because its 

grains remain, as the Greeks say, 

spyroto or single, never mushy, 

never clumping. In a pilaf, the rice 

is sautéed first in butter or olive oil 

before the cooking liquid (broth or 

water) is added. 

Pilaf is as versatile as pasta. It 

can be combined with just about 

anything one desires or eaten plain. 

Dishes like spanakoryzo – spinach, 

spring onions and dill tossed with 

oil and simmered with the rice in 

water seasoned with lemon juice 

and tomato paste – rank high as 

comfort food, easy to cook, and 

delicious. At the other end of the 

spectrum reign the luxury pilafs, 

spiked with mussels, shrimp and/or 

lobster. Home cooks whip up splendid 

concoctions with leftovers like 

roast lamb or chicken, plus a handful 

of raisins and pine nuts; poor 

households used to thrive on pilafs 

mixing two or three starches, such 

as rice and lentils or rice, bulgur, 

and angel hair pasta. But the most 

lavish pilaf of all must be that made 

for Cretan weddings. Served at 

the western end of the island to 

guests numbering as many as one 

thousand, vast quantities of rice 

are boiled in an enormous cauldron 

with broth made from at least six 

yearling lambs or kids. And because 

it’s cooked over an open fire in military 

amounts, this is man’s work. 

And so tasty that, in these affluent 

times, guests usually eat their fill 

and ignore the spitted lambs presented 

as the main course. 

Parboiled – bonnet rice, pale 

yellow, long grain. All rice must 

undergo some form of processing 

to render it edible. Most rice 

is milled and polished to remove 

first the husk and the outer covering 

of bran. This leaves the grains 

an attractive white but ironically 

destroys some desirable fibers and 

B-group vitamins. Cooking in turn 

breaks down the cells, releasing the 

starch inside, and making rice both 

digestible and nutritious – especially 

when combined with vegetables 

or meats that add essential 

proteins. In the case of parboiled 

rice, the grains are also immersed 

in boiling water and subsequently 

steamed. Although the processing 

takes up to 72 hours, rice treated 

this way cooks faster and because 

the grains remain separate, it is 

good for pilafs and salads. 

Brown rice – unmilled, bran-coated, 

long grain – contains all those 

nutrients removed from white rice. 

It takes considerably longer to cook 


and has more flavor, but is decidedly 

more “rustic” and does not keep 

as well. Preferred by health-food 

fans, it is a fairly recent newcomer 

to the Greek market. 

Organic rice – Another recent arrival, 

the first domestically grown 

organic rice appeared on Greek 

shelves in 2004, processed by 

Argyraki Bros, Inc (SABE?) under the 

Trofino label. Just two years later, 

the firm began exporting to the EU. 

A Kastoria-based company, Arosis, 

also markets organic brown, parboiled 

bonnet and nyhaki rice. At 

present, organic rice accounts for 

about 1 percent of the crop. 

Finally, Agrino, with origins in 

Agrinio and factories in Athens 

and Thessaloniki, leads the Greek 

industry in conventionally grown 

rice and has the distinction of being 

the first rice company in Europe 

to follow the Good Agricultural 

Practices program, aimed at protecting 

the farmer, consumer, and 

the environment. Not only are the 

grower and district mentioned on 

the packet for purposes of traceability, 

this also means that “nothing 

is wasted”: The burned husk ash is 

used in heavy industry, steam from 

parboiling is converted into electricity, 

covering three-quarters of the 

factory’s needs, and the processing 

by-products end up as rice flour for 

desserts, pet food, and even pharmaceuticals. 

Things have progressed indeed 

since Walter Packard’s visit in 1949.


Indeed Attica is the place for retsina, and retsina is the drink for 

Attica, whether in the city, inland or by the sea. The resin which 

gives its name and its peculiar taste to the wine seems to me not 

only a preservative, but to infuse something of the sharpness and 

brilliance of the bright air around the mountain pine woods. 

It is not, however, to everyone’s stomach. Some will tell you that 

it is an acquired taste and will describe how they themselves 

have laboriously acquired it. Others, like myself, will enjoy it 

from the very first sip. Some unfortunates will never enjoy it 

at all. Indeed, they are to be pitied.. 

Retsina 

Greece’s traditional wine 

makes a comeback 

By Meropi Papadopoulou 


Food Styling: Tina Webb 

Rex Warner, English traveler, Views of Attica, 1950 

From Miles Lambert-Gocs’s book, The Wines of Greece 


The history of Greek wine goes back 

to the myths, to Dionysian revelries, 

to the god’s mother, Selene, 

to Pan and nymphs cavorting and 

feasting. Such images grace ancient 

urns and amphorae, the latter 

inscribed, in fact, with the names 

and provenance of the wines they 

once contained. The ancient Greeks 

were the first people to value and 

document appellations, and among 

them were Chios, Lesvos, and the 

Pramnian wines of Ikaria. 

Despite such a glorious past, it’s 

this country’s most rustic wine that 

is arguably its most famous: Retsina. 

Countless Greek songs have 

been written about Retsina, and 

probably inspired by a glass or two; 

mention of it in hundreds of novels, 

poems, and other literary works is 

common. It has even had a place on 

stage, in so many Greek movies of 

the 1950s and ‘60s. 

Retsina is an indelible part of Greek 

folk tradition and culture. It is no 

wonder that it is officially categorized 

as a Traditional Wine, an 

appellation title it shares with just 

one other Greek wine, the Verdea 

of the Ionian Islands. It is a child of 

Attica, Viotia, and Evia, and within 

its resinous flavor and aroma is the 

terrain of these three places, their 

pine trees, the coolness of the summer 

nights, a full moon over some 

taverna in the middle of the Mesogeia, 

the area just outside Athens 

where most Retsina is still made. 

But, the practice of adding pine 

WhAt IS retSINA 

Retsina is a purely Greek 

wine, produced mainly 

in Attica, Viotia, and 

Evia. It is made mainly 

with Savatiano and the 

Roditis grapes, which are 

the dominant varieties in 

those three regions. According 

to wine experts, 

the Savatiano grape has 

such strong varietal characteristics 

that it is not 

overwhelmed by the resin 

and rather participates 

actively in the flavor 

structure of the wine. 


Retsina may also be rosé, 

which is called kokkineli. 

Kokkineli is made with 

the rose-colored roditis 

grape. Recent additions 

to the Roditis have been 

the Assyrtico and the Xinomavro 

grapes (which, 

among other things, 

produce rosé resinated 

wines). 

The grapes are vinified 

according to the classical 

method of white winemaking 

(grape stepping 

– must – fermentation 

in stainless tanks under 

resin to wine is very old. This meeting 

of pine forest with vineyard 

was a marriage waiting to happen, 

but also one of convenience and 

thought. Wine might have been 

born by accident, but Retsina was 

born of design. Indeed, it was probably 

man’s first conscious intervention 

in the process that transforms 

grape juice into the stuff of Dionysian 

feasts. 

usually controlled temperatures) 

but a small 

quantity of resin is added 

at the beginning of the 

fermentation process. 

The best resin is produced 

by the pine Pinus 

Halepensis (Aleppo pine), 

a kind of coniferous tree 

flourishing throughout 

the Mediterranean. The 

best is said to come 

from the Aleppo pines 

of Attica, while there is 

an important production 

in Evia, Ilia, and Corinth, 

too.

There are several theories as to how 

pine resin was put to good use in 

the winemaking trade of antiquity. 

Thick, viscous pine resin, a natural 

sealant and antiseptic, may have 

been brushed along the interior 

wall of the amphorae, making them 

impermeable and easily transportable 

and preserving and protecting 

their contents until they were 

opened, maybe in some far-off 

place. Upon opening, some resin 

fell into the amphora and forming 

a thin membrane on the wine’s 

surface that prevented it from 

Today’s Retsinas are 

exceptional wines that 

transform this ageold 

Greek classic into 

something new and 

exciting. 

oxidizing. So it may have played a 

double role, making the vessel safe 

for transport and the wine potable 

for longer. 

In each case, it imparts its unique 

flavor, something that apparently 

had won over avid fans, whose 

numbers grew over time and for 

whom it was a common belief that 

a little pine resin actually improves 

wine. Sometimes broken pine cones 

were mixed into the must or wine, 

in order to impart an even more 

characteristic resin flavor. 

Despite the ancient use of pine 

resin, pinewood barrels were not 

made until much later. Indeed, 

all references to wine storage in 

antiquity have to do with earthenware 

jugs and amphorae. Barrels, 

on the other hand, didn’t enter the 

Greek wine-making world until the 

end of the 19th century. The peppery 

taste they imparted, as well as 

the characteristic carbon-dioxide 

mouth feel and grainy aftertaste 

are preserved in the memories of an 

earlier time. 

Retsina changed over the course 

of time, too, and especially over 


the course of the last century; resin 

became a tool not for preserving or 

improving the flavor of wine but for 

camouflaging the flaws in a poorly 

made wine. As Greece became 

more urbanized and Greeks more 

well-traveled, their tastes began 

to change, too, away from rustic, 

traditional Retsina and towards 

non-resinated, fruity and more 

refined vintages. As the restaurant 

scene evolved, too, away from the 

taverna and in full embrace of “finedining” 

establishments, Retsina 

suffered a second snub. From the 

1980s till the present, traditional 

Retsina has been stigmatized as too 

rough for the well-honed palates 

of sophisticated Greeks. It became 

a kind of scapegoat, its diminished 

stature becoming like a self-fulfill- 

ing prophesy. Retsina morphed into 

bad wine, wild, aggressive, with 

little flavor or character. 

As wine production in Greece 

gained by leaps and bounds, especially 

over the last two decades, 

the stain of Greece’s association 

with Retsina remained stubbornly 

in place. Now, that stain is fading 

thanks largely to the fact that 

high-quality Greek wines have won 

continuous international renown 

and thanks, too, to a renewed 

interest among several enterprising 

and perceptive winemakers for 

resuscitating the country’s signature 

Traditional Wine, seeing in 

Retsina the unique taste and spirit 

of Greece. For these winemakers, 

Retsina offers a vehicle for making 

new inroads in both the Greek and 


international wine markets. 

Contemporary Retsina retains the 

characteristic flavor of the pine 

resin while satisfying contemporary 

tastes. The fruitiness of 

the Savatiano and Roditis grapes 

that go into a traditional Retsina 

is evident, but so is the distinct 

flavor of the resin, which is akin to 

rosemary, bay leaves, and Mastiha, 

with a peppery finish that reminds 

one a little of pine needles. Some 

contemporary winemakers blend 

other grapes with Savatiano and 

Roditis, such as Assyrtico and Xinnomavro. 

Today’s Retsinas are exceptional 

wines that transform this age-old 

Greek classic into something new 

and exciting, a wine that can appeal 

to sophisticated palates. It’s no 

Retsina is an indelible 

part of Greek folk tradition 

and culture. It 

is no wonder that it is 

officially categorized 

as a Traditional Wine.

wonder that these Retsinas have 

been winning awards at respectable 

competitions. Just a few years 

ago no vintner would ever have 

dared even enter a Retsina. 

No doubt, Retsina still has an image 

issue to overcome, and more 

WhAt to drINK 

WIth retSINA 

The answer might be “everything” 

especially if one is talking 

about mezedes. Retsina 

is an ideal accompaniment 

for the grazing plates of robust 

greek mezedes, such as 

fried eggplants and zucchini, 

tzatziki, fried fish with garlic 

sauce, olives, tomatoes, 

spicy feta cheese, fritters of 

The extraction of resin from the Aleppo pines of Attica 

is still done the traditional way. 

than a few Greek connoisseurs still 

snub the country’s most famous 

traditional wine. But for those who 

keep an open mind and taste buds, 

the scent of Retsina promises a 

journey to Greece’s unique Greek 

pine forests, to beaches under a 

every kind –- from the classic 

ones with minced meat and 

garlic to the tomato and 

chickpea fritters. It is a characteristic 

accompaniment 

to all winter and summer 

olive oil-based stews, and it 

goes particularly well with 

spaghetti and pesto. 

Retsina pairs exquisitely 

with small fried fish, such 

as smelt, anchovies, red 

mullet, bogue, and more as 

well as with fish baked a la 

spetsiota, pasta and shellfish 

or lobster recipes, and grilled 

sardines. 

It’s the classic choice for the 

classic Greek lamb on a spit. 

Retsina pairs perfectly with 

strong Mediterranean flavors 

like garlic, tomato, and basil 

and it holds its own at a table 

laden with all sorts of differ- 

full moon, to the streets of Plaka 

where the sweet smells of jasmine 

and honeysuckle waft through 

the evening air. Retsina promises 

a journey into a tradition that has 

managed to flourish like the forests 

themselves. 

ent foods meant to be eaten 

together. 

hoW to SerVe retSINA 

Serve it cold at 10ο C in small 

stem (white wine) glasses. 

Avoid using short glasses, 

since the temperature of 

your hands will quickly warm 

up the contents of the glass. 

Retsina should never be 

sipped tepid. 

Meropi Papadopoulou writes about wine for Kathimerini, 

one of Greece’s major daily newspapers. 


Kerasma 

recipes 

for EVOO Premiums / Salt / 

Savory Pies / Thrace / Rice / 

Mezedes for Retsina and More 

Photography: Yiorgos Dracopoulos 



Fish Soup with Monkfish Head 

1. In a large pot heat olive oil and sauté 

the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic for 

5 minutes until soft but not brown. 

2. Add the tomato, stir for 1 minute, 

then add the monkfish heads. Pour in 

the wine. 

3. Raise the heat and bring the wine to 

a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes, then add 

enough water to cover the fish heads. 

Add the bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and 

star anise. 

4. When the stock begins to boil, lower 

the heat and simmer for half an hour. 

(If you use one large head, the boiling 

Christoforos Peskias 

6 servings 

For the Stock 

40 ml extra virgin Greek olive oil 

5 oz. / 150 g red onion, finely 

chopped 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g carrot, coarsely 

grated 

2 1/3 oz. / 70 g celery, coarsely 

grated 

6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g tomato (1 medium-sized), 

finely chopped 

6 pounds/5 1/2 kilos monkfish 

heads, washed well and completely 

rid of blood 

750 ml white wine 

1 fresh bay leaf 

3 sprigs fresh thyme 

time will be up to 45 minutes.) Skim 

the foam off the surface of the soup. 

5. Remove the pot from the heat and 

let stand for 1 hour. Then, using a slotted 

spoon, remove the heads from the 

pot and set aside in a heatproof bowl, 

covered. 

6. Remove and discard the vegetables. 

Strain the stock through a fine-mesh 

sieve or a cheesecloth into a clean pot. 

7. Place the pot with the stock on the 

stove and add the potatoes. Boil for 15 

minutes. Add the zucchini and fennel 

bulb and let boil for 3 more minutes. 


Kerasma Comfort Food Recipes 

15 white peppercorns 

2 pieces star anise 

For the Soup 

7 oz. / 200 g potatoes, cut into 

small cubes (½ inch /1 cm) 

7 oz. / 200 g small zucchini, cut 

into small cubes (½ inch /1 cm) 

7 oz. / 200 g fennel bulb, cut into 

small cubes (½ inch /1 cm) 

½ bunch chervil, tied with cord 

Salt and freshly ground white 

pepper 

Lemon juice (optional) 

Extra virgin Greek olive oil (optional) 

2 Tbsp. chives, finely chopped 

Note: This soup is translucent, not thick. 

In the final 3 minutes add the chervil. 

Remove the pot from the heat. Season 

with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice 

and olive oil to taste. Remove the chervil. 

Stir in the chives. Serve the soup 

with warm, toasted bread. 

Note: You may also remove any meat 

from the heads and add it to the soup. 

Or, even better, heat the heads for 

about 10 to 15 minutes in warm oven, 

season with salt and pepper and savor 

them as a great meze.


Trahana Soup with Mastiha Oil and Yogurt 


8 servings 

1 ½ pounds / 700 g sour trahana 

4 quarts/liters strong chicken stock 

150 ml Mastiha liqueur 

1 onion, peeled and whole 

2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole 

1 large carrot, peeled and whole 

1 bay leaf 

½ bunch thyme 

10 oz. / 300 g strained Greek yogurt 

11 ½ oz. / 350 g sheep’s milk yogurt 

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

A few drops Mastiha oil 

10 oz. / 300 g feta cheese 

16 bruschetta slices made from stale bread (6Χ21/2cm) 



1. In a large pot, bring the trahana, 

stock, Mastiha liqueur, onion, garlic, 

carrot, bay leaf, and thyme to a boil. 

Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 

25 minutes until soft. 

2. Remove the vegetables and herbs 

from the pot. Beat the trahana in a 

blender at high speed for 15 seconds. 

3. Pass the trahana through a finemesh 

sieve. 

4. Add both yogurts and mix until well 

blended. Season with salt and pepper 

and a few drops of Mastiha oil. 

5. Crumble the feta on top of the 

bread slices and bake in the oven at 

400˚F/200˚C for a few minutes until 

brown. 

6. Serve the soup and 2 bruschetta 

slices per person.

Keftedakia – Fried Meatballs with Yogurt-Mint Dip 


12 meze servings 

7 oz. / 200 g onion, finely 

chopped 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

6 Tbsp. extra virgin Greek olive 

oil 

2 pounds / 900 g minced beef 

(20% fat content) 

11 ½ oz. / 350 g stale bread, 

crumbled, soaked in milk and 

strained 

2 eggs 

Juice of 1 lemon 

1 Tbsp. dried Greek oregano 

30 mint leaves, finely chopped 

Salt and pepper 


Flour for dredging 

For the Dip 

1 pound / 450 g strained Greek 

yogurt 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g sheep’s yogurt 

1 garlic clove 

10 fresh mint leaves 

30 ml Greek thyme honey 

Salt and white pepper 

1. Sweat the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons 

of olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes. 

2. Mix together with the rest of the 

meatball ingredients and transfer to 

the bowl of an electric mixer attached 

with a paddle. Mix for 4 minutes. 

3. Shape the mixture into small balls, 

1 oz. / 30 g each. 

4. Dredge each ball in flour and fry in 

a deep fryer for about 4 minutes at 

350°F/180°C. 

5. Prepare the dip: Place all the ingredients 

in a blender and mix at high speed 

for 1 minute. Strain and serve in a bowl 

with the meatballs. 


Stuffed Squid on the Grill 

Miltos Karoumbas 

6 servings 

6 large squid (10 oz. / 300 g each), thoroughly cleaned 

90 ml lemon juice 

3 oz. / 90 g red peppers, cut into thin strips 

3 oz. / 90 g green peppers, cut into thin strips 

3 oz. / 90 g onion, chopped 

3 oz. / 90 g tomato, cut into slices 

120 g kefalotyri cheese 




Kerasma Olive Oil Recipes 

1. Rub the cleaned squid with 1/3 of the 

lemon juice. 

2. Stuff each squid with 15 g red peppers, 

15 g green peppers, 15 g onion, 15 g 

tomato, and 20 g kefalotyri. Secure the 

squid closed with toothpicks. 

3. Grill over medium heat. Season with 

salt and pepper. 

4. Whisk olive oil and remaining lemon 

juice together in a small bowl. 

5. As soon as the squid are cooked, 

serve drizzled with the cold lemon-olive 

oil dressing.

Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Beets, and Thyme 

Christos Athanasiades 


1 baguette, cut on the diagonal into slices 

7 oz. / 200 g goat cheese 

10 oz. / 300 g boiled beetroots, cut into thin slices 

5 sprigs fresh thyme 



1. Grill the baguette slices in the oven 

until slightly charred. 

2. Remove from the oven, spread the 

cheese on top and cover with the beet 

slices. Garnish with thyme and drizzle 

with olive oil. Serve. 


Four Season Salad with ‘Agourelaio’ from Mani 

1. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt 

and mayonnaise. Stir in the walnuts, 

apples, potatoes, and pineapple cubes. 

Stir well. 


2 servings 

5 oz. / 150 g strained Greek yogurt 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g mayonnaise 

1 ½ oz. / 40 g ground walnuts 

2 medium green apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated 

2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, and diced 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g fresh pineapple, cut into small cubes 

2 thin slices country bread 

For Garnish 

2 leaves red-leaf lettuce, finely chopped or julienned 

1/3 oz. / 10 g arugula, finely chopped or julienned 

1/3 oz. / 10 g curly endive (frisée), finely chopped or julienned 

1/3 oz. / 10 g red pepper, finely chopped or julienned 

1/3 oz. / 10 g fried spinach tortilla, chopped 

30 ml Greek early harvest olive oil (“agourelaio”) 

2. Toast the bread slices and place one 

on the bottom of each plate. Cover 

with the apple mixture (1/2 inch / 1 

cm in height) and garnish with the 



remaining fresh greens. Sprinkle the 

tortilla and drizzle the agourelaio on 

top and serve.


Pastourma Fritters 



1 pound/ 450 g minced beef 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g pastourma, trimmed of the spice rub 

and very finely chopped 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g white bread 

2 Tbsp. extra virgin Greek olive oil 

1 egg 

1/4 cup Retsina 


Flour for dredging 

Oil for frying 


Kerasma Retsina Mezedes Recipes 

1. In a large bowl, knead the beef, pastourma, 

bread, olive oil, egg, Retsina, 

salt, and pepper together. Shape into 

small balls. 

2. Dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a deep 

skillet and fry in batches until golden 

on all sides. Drain on paper towels and 

serve hot.

Spicy Marinated Feta 



1 pound / 450 g feta, cut into cubes 


1 Tbsp. thyme 

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley 

1 Tbsp. basil 

2 small chili peppers 


1. In a large, air-tight jar large enough 

to hold all the ingredients, place the 

feta cubes. Pour in the olive oil, herbs, 

and chili peppers. Seal and marinate, 

refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days. Bring 

down to room temperature before 

serving. 

2. Serve with some olive oil from the jar 

and grilled bread. 


Fish Balls 

1. Place all the ingredients except for 

the eggs in the bowl of an electric 

mixer or food processor and pulse or 

mix until well blended. Add 1 egg and 

pulse to combine. Test the texture. If 

it is dense enough to hold its shape do 

not add any more eggs. If it needs to be 

Lefteris Lazarou 

4 servings 

1 pound / 450 g monkfish fillet, chopped 

7 oz. / 200 g grouper, mashed in a blender 

2 Tbsp. dried dill 

1 Tbsp. garlic powder 

1 Tbsp. dried basil 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g ground rusks 

120 ml olive oil 

1 tsp. salt 

½ tsp. pepper 

1 to 3 eggs 

Flour for dusting 

Oil for frying 

loosened, add another egg. Test again 

and repeat with a third egg if necessary. 

Place the mixture, covered, in the 

refrigerator until it firms up, about 1 

hour. 

2. Remove from the refrigerator and 

shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch / 4-cm 



balls. Dust with flour and fry in hot oil, 

in batches, turning to brown lightly all 

around. Remove with a slotted spoon 

and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.



Baked Stuffed Squid with Rice and Mustard Sauce 

1. Combine all the ingredients for the 

filling in a bowl. 

2. Grill the squid over medium-high 

heat for several minutes, until al dente 

and grill marks line each side. The 

tentacles might need a little more time, 

so grill them first. 


4 servings 

For the Filling 

8 Tbsp. boiled long-grain Greek 

rice 

7 oz. / 200 g feta cheese, coarsely 

grated 

4 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh 

tomato, flesh only 


2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and 

drained 

1 Tbsp. hot mustard 

2 Tbsp. finely chopped spring 

onion whites 

6 sun-dried tomatoes, drained 

and finely chopped 

Salt and freshly ground black 

pepper 

3. Remove and cool. Spoon the stuffing 

into each squid and secure closed with 

toothpicks. Place in a pan. Pour in 

200 ml vegetable stock and bake in a 

preheated oven at 350οF/180 οC, about 

10 minutes, or until tender. 

4. To prepare the sauce: Emulsify all 

the ingredients at very high speed in 

a blender or food processor. Strain if 

desired. 


4 large fresh squid, 8 oz. / 250 g 

each, cleaned 

200 ml vegetable stock 

For the Sauce 



5 ½ oz. / 160 g spicy mustard 

4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

5 ½ oz. / 160 g soft feta cheese 

1 large roasted red Florina pepper, 

cut into 8 or 12 thin strips 

5. Pour the sauce on the bottom of the 

plate and place the squid on top. Garnish 

with the tentacles. Slit the body 

of the squid in 2 or 3 places and insert a 

pepper sliver into each hole for garnish. 


Sea Bass Cured in Greek Sea Salt 

1. Rinse and pat dry the fish. Set aside. 

2. In a bowl, combine sugar, zest, 

and star anise. Mix this with the 

salt. Spread half the mixture on the 

bottom of a pan large enough to hold 

the fish fillets in one layer. Cover with 


6 servings 

2 pounds / 900 g Greek farmed sea bass, 

filleted into 6 servings 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g crystallized sugar 

Grated zest of 1 orange 

10 pieces star anise, ground to a powder 

in a mortar or spice mill 

8 oz. / 250 g coarse salt 

1 bunch arugula, washed and spun dry 


Juice of 1 orange 

Cracked peppercorns, to taste 

remaining salt mixture. Cover with 

plastic wrap and let stand for 36 hours, 

refrigerated. 

3. Remove the fish from the refrigerator 

and rinse extremely well. Pat dry and 

cut into paper-thin slices. 


Kerasma Salt Recipes 

4. Spread the slices fanlike on a serving 

plate and place a small mound of 

arugula in the center. 

5. Whisk the olive oil and orange juice 

together. Sprinkle with cracked peppercorns 

and serve.


Fried Pancetta with Formaella Cheese and Olives 


4 servings 


3 ½ oz. / 100 g red onion, finely 

chopped 

13 oz. / 400 g pork belly (pancetta), 

sliced thin 

1 pepperoncini pepper, seeded 

and chopped 

1 green pepper, seeded and cut 

into thin rounds 


Kerasma Dishes Accompanying Drama Wines 

2Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf 

parsley 

1 cup dry red wine 


Olive oil for frying the formaella 

cheese 

4 oz. / 120 g formaella cheese, 

cut into 4 slices 

7-8 wrinkled brown Halkidiki 

olives, pitted 

1. In a deep skillet heat the olive oil and 

sauté the onion, sliced pork, pepperoncini, 

green pepper, and parsley until 

the pork is brown on all sides. Pour in 

the wine and simmer until the wine is 

reduced by half. Season with salt and 

pepper and remove from the heat. 

2. In another skillet, heat a small 

amount of olive oil and cook the formaella 

slices until lightly browned. 

3. Place one formaella slice on each of 

four plates and spoon the sautéed pork 

mixture on top. Garnish with the olives 

and drizzle a little of the pan juices on 

top. Serve hot.

Grilled Mastelo Cheese with Roasted Florina Peppers 


6 servings 

Kerasma Dishes Accompanying Drama Wines 

2 ½ oz. / 80 g pine nuts 

2 garlic cloves 

½ bunch fresh parsley 


Salt and green peppercorns 

8 oz. / 250 g Chios Mastelo cheese, cut into 6 slices 

8 oz. / 250 g roasted red peppers in olive oil 

1. In a blender or food processor, grind 

together the pine nuts, garlic, parsley, 

2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and 

pepper. 

2. Spread the mixture onto a large flat 

plate. Dampen the cheese under the 

tap and press into the nut mixture, 

turning on each side, so that it adheres 

to the surface of the cheese. 

3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a 

nonstick skillet over medium heat and 

fry the cheese slices, one or two at a 

time—as many as will fit in one layer— 

flipping once, until lightly browned on 

both sides. 

4. Serve the cheese with roasted peppers 

on the side. 


Sausage and Cheese Pie 

1. Place the phyllo sheets in front of you 

on a work surface. Cut into 4 rounds, 

each the size of the skillet (about 6 

inches/15 cm). Brush a non-stick skillet 

with olive oil and heat over medium 

flame. Place one round at a time in the 

skillet and cook, flipping once, until 

lightly browned on each side. 

2. In the meanwhile, chop or slice the 

sausage and sauté it in a separate, dry 

skillet, until browned. 


2 servings 

1 package “village” phyllo pastry, defrosted 

and at room temperature (this is a thick 

pastry, two sheets to a pack) 

Olive oil for brushing the skillet 

5 oz. / 150 g sausage (such as Nikas 

“Mykonos” sausage) 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g feta cheese 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

5 thin, rectangular slices of kasseri cheese 

3. Take one round and top with half the 

sausage, feta, and onions. Spread half 

the kasseri slices over the filling. Cover 

with the other phyllo rounds and press 

lightly down. 

4. Place under the grill or salamander 

until the kasseri and feta melt. Remove, 

cut into wedges and serve hot. 


Kerasma Pies Recipes

Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers from Samos 

1. Using a sharp knife slice off the 

crowns of the tomatoes and peppers. 

Reserve caps. Scoop out the seeds from 

the peppers and discard. Scoop out 

the tomato pulp carefully with a small 

spoon and set aside. 


6 servings 

6 ripe tomatoes 

6 green peppers 


1 red onion, finely chopped 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g spring onions, finely chopped 

13 oz. / 400 g Carolina or nyhaki rice 

2 garlic cloves, crushed 

5 g ground cinnamon 

4 oz. / 120 g raisins 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g toasted pine nuts 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g toasted blanched almonds 

250 ml tomato paste 

1 oz. / 30 g finely chopped fresh parsley 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2/3 oz. / 20 g sugar 

2. In a large skillet, heat 50 ml olive oil 

and sauté the onions for 3 minutes. 

Add the rice, garlic, cinnamon, raisins, 

toasted pine nuts and almonds. Finely 

chop the tomato pulp and add it to the 

skillet. Cover with water and simmer 

for about 10 to 12 minutes until the 

rice softens and most of the juices are 

absorbed. Stir in the tomato paste to 

thicken the mixture. Cook for a minute 

or two longer and remove. Season with 

salt and pepper. 3. Remove the skillet 

from the heat. Preheat the oven to 

375˚F/190˚C. 

Kerasma Rice Recipes 

4. Sprinkle the hollowed tomatoes and 

peppers with some sugar, fill them up 

with the rice mixture and cover them 

with their caps. Place the stuffed vegetables 

in an ovenproof dish and pour a 

little water into the pan. 

5. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on 

top of the stuffed vegetables. Bake for 

about 50 to 60 minutes. Baste with 

olive oil a few times during cooking. 

Remove and serve, either hot or cold. 


Aegean Pilaf with Tiny Symi Shrimp and Octopus 



1 oz. / 30 g butter 


7 oz. / 200 g small musk octopus, cleaned and chopped 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g orzo 

1 red onion, finely chopped 

1 pound/ 450 g yellow rice 

3 ½ oz. / 100 g small Santorini tomatoes, halved 

1 glass white wine 

½ quart/liter fish stock 

Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon 

7 oz. / 200 g Symi shrimp, heads removed 




1. In a pot, heat the butter and olive oil 

and sauté the octopus until it turns 

bright pink. Add the orzo and onion 

and cook, stirring, until the orzo begins 

to brown. 

2. Add the rice and tomatoes and stir. 

Pour in the wine, the stock, lemon juice 

and zest. Simmer for about 15 minutes 

and add the shrimp. Season with salt 

and pepper to taste. Let simmer until 

the pilaf is cooked. Serve hot.

Fish Fillet with Mushrooms and Rice 


4 servings 


12 oz. / 350 g red onion, finely 

chopped 

1 pound / 450 g fresh white 

mushrooms, coarsely chopped 

Salt and freshly ground black 

pepper 

1 Tbsp. finely chopped dried 

chives 

1 tsp. ground ginger 


1 garlic clove, finely chopped 

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh 

basil 

4 cups half-cooked (boiled) rice 


4 fish fillets (swordfish, grouper, 

or sea bream), 8 oz. / 250 g 

each 

Olive oil for brushing the fish 

Leek, julienned for garnish 

1. In a large, deep skillet or wide pot 

over medium heat, heat the olive oil 

and sauté the onion until soft. Add the 

mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 

6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and 

pepper. Mix in the chives, ginger, garlic, 

and basil and add the rice. Stir all 

together, pour in the vegetable stock, 

and stir. Let simmer until all juices are 

cooked off and the rice is completely 

done. 

2. Brush the fish with a little olive oil 

and season with salt and pepper. Grill 

for about 5 minutes on each side and 

remove. 

3. Divide the rice evenly among four 

serving plates and place one fillet over 

each mound of rice. Garnish with the 

julienned leek. 


Pilaf with Aegina Pistachios, 

Pomegranate Seeds, and Basil 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide 

pot over medium flame and sauté the 

onions and garlic until soft. Add the 

pistachios and sauté for another 2 to 

3 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 5 

more minutes. 

Christos Peskias 

6 servings 


1 large red onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

8 oz. / 250 g Aegina pistachios 

1 pound / 450 g Axios rice 

1.2 liters/quarts chicken stock 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 pomegranates, peeled and broken into granules 

1 bunch basil, finely chopped 

2. Pour in the chicken stock, season 

with salt and pepper, and bring to a 

boil. As soon as the rice starts to boil, 

lower the heat and cover the pot. Simmer 

for about 20 to 25 minutes until all 

liquid is absorbed. 



3. Remove the pot from the heat and 

add the pomegranate seeds and basil. 

Taste for salt and pepper. Let the pilaf 

rest in the pot, covered with a kitchen 

towel, for about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Serve.


Rice-milk Pudding with Chocolate and Raisins 

Stelios Parliaros 


1 ½ oz. / 40 g glazed rice 

300 ml water 

600 ml milk 

2 oz. / 60 g sugar 

2/3 oz. / 20 g cocoa powder, sifted 


1 ½ oz. / 40 g cornstarch 

1 2/3 oz. / 50 g raisins 


Kerasma Sweets Recipes 

1. Bring the rice and 300 ml water to 

a boil over low heat. Simmer until the 

rice is tender, remove and drain in a 

colander. 

2. In a medium size pot, stir together 

the milk, boiled rice, sugar, cocoa, 

and orange zest. Heat over low flame. 

Before it comes to a simmer, add the 

cornstarch diluted in 5 tablespoons of 

water. Stir until the mixture thickens 

and remove from the heat. 

3. Pour evenly into four individual 

bowls, set aside to cool, garnish with 

raisins and serve.

Olive Oil Cake 




10 oz. / 300 g dark chocolate with 55% cocoa, cut into small pieces 


7 oz. / 200 g sugar 

4 eggs 

4 oz. / 120 g flour, sifted 


3 ½ - 5 oz. / 100-150 g glazed ginger or orange 

1. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler. 

Stir in the olive oil. 

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer with 

a whisk attachment, beat the sugar 

and eggs at medium speed until fluffy 

and white. Slowly pour in the chocolate 

and oil mixture. Add the sifted 

flour, orange zest, and glazed ginger or 

orange and mix gently to combine. 

3. Pour the mixture into a 10-inch/25cm 

round cake pan and bake in a preheated 

oven at 325ºF/160ºC for about 

25 to 30 minutes. Remove, let cool for 

10 minutes, invert to remove from pan 

and serve warm. 


Ice Cream with Olive Oil and Raisins 



3 ½ oz. / 100 g Greek raisins 

8 egg yolks 

5 ½ oz. / 170 g sugar 

185 ml heavy cream 

625 ml milk 

½ vanilla pod 




1. Soak the raisins in water until soft. 

2. Whisk together the yolks with sugar 

in a medium sized pot. Add cream, 

milk, and vanilla and stir over low heat 

until it reaches 181-185 οF/83-85οC. Remove 

from heat, transfer the mixture 

into a different pot, let cool, and pour 

in the olive oil. Refrigerate for 1 day. 

3. Place the mixture in the ice cream 

maker and follow the freezing instructions. 

Alternatively, transfer the 

mixture to a metallic bowl, place in the 

freezer, and beat every half an hour for 

2 to 3 hours. Drain and add the raisins 

toward the end, when the ice cream 

has set.

Chocolate Biscuits with Fleur de Sel 


About 2 pounds / 900 g of biscuits 

13 oz. / 400 g butter 

5 ½ oz. / 170 g confectioners’ sugar 

2 eggs 

7 oz. / 200 g dark chocolate with 66% cocoa, 

melted in a double-boiler 

1 ¼ pound / 550 g flour 

1 ½ oz. / 40 g cocoa powder 

¼ tsp. fleur de sel 


1. In a large bowl, knead the butter and 

sugar together until soft, adding the 

eggs and mixing by hand very well. 

2. Stir in the melted chocolate. Add the 

flour, cocoa powder, and fleur de sel. 

Stir until well blended. 

3. Shape the mixture into small biscuits, 

1 inch / 2.5 cm in diameter. Bake 

in a preheated oven at 340οF/170οC, 

about 15 minutes. Remove, cool on wire 

racks, and serve. 


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