I’m not Greek.
But I think I’m Greek in my heart.
Greece can be many things… but
for me… it’s actually my paradise of choice.
Whenever I like a place, I try to go deeper
into its roots and find out why it is the way it is
and what’s the reason for me feeling
a connection with it.
For me, the WHY is often more important than the WHAT.
So we decided to live in Crete for a while...
Today I chose to talk about Cretan food.
Why? Because the food on this particular island
of Greece is really special
Although I like Greek food, I am in love with Cretan food.
Let’s dig further and discover the reasons
behind the rich-tasting culinary delights of Crete.
First of all, there is almost no modern cuisine in Crete.
All right, there are some fusion places around, but
We’re talking about ancient food here.
- Here we are very very lucky
because we have all this treasure
Mother Earth
for all of us...
And I'm very very lucky because
my fathery and mother
gave me the most important things
for my world
to know everything about nature,
about the animals,
about the trees,
about Cretan traditions
from Ancient times...
A lot of complicated things we do here,
because it's not easy to have animals,
you must know everything.
This island was blessed with very fertile land.
It sustains the growth of enough vegetables
to feed many more people than just
the population of the island,
which is 635.000 people.
Everything I have here in my restaurant
is from my garden and my farm.
I make my cheese
I make my icecream
I make my meat,
my vegetables,
I have ancients seeds.
Everything I have is traditional.
The wine is from my friend
because I don't make wine...
because I don't drink alcohol :)
Crete is the largest Greek island.
The winters are mild and the summers are prolonged,
helping crops to produce longer
than anywhere else in Greece.
Cretans have been doing a form of permaculture,
always rotating different types of vegetables
on the same piece of land,
while enriching the soil organically.
They still use heirloom seeds as much as they can,
as each traditional family is very keen
on passing the original seeds
from generation to generation.
They refuse as much as possible the use of chemicals
for growing vegetables and refrain
from feeding concentrated foods to their animals.
And generally, they do not agree with the
ways of the contemporary world.
For these Greeks, who always refer to themselves
as Cretans, and secondly Greeks,
nature takes care of everything they need,
in order to have a balanced nutrition.
And this is very very important
for humanity
because Creta has organic food,
organic fruits,
it's so rich...
We don't need to put medicines
because the oranges, the mandarines
the pomegranates,
the nuts,
everything is creation of God
there's no need to spray them.
It’s the natural circle that could still work everywhere,
but Crete is one of the few places where it actually still functioning successfully.
far away from the modern world.
This helped Cretans with sticking to their traditions.
Food is not just food in Crete.
"You are what you eat"
is literally what every Cretan will tell you.
Secondly, there is philoxenia.
In literal translation – friend to a stranger.
Greek hospitality is well known all over the world,
but Cretan hospitality is above and beyond.
When a Cretan smiles to you, without any particular
reason, you don’t just see the smile on his face,
you actually feel it deep inside of you.
Like the old who say one word
which is very very beautiful
Philoxenia
is the most beautiful and popular word
from Ancient Greece.
It means people from all over the world
and to enjoy it
but not only to enjoy it like the other tavernas
to give them your soul...
And you start wondering…
What is it about these guys?
I think… it’s their connection to nature
simple things in life.
Many of us have probably lost that…
if we ever had it in the first place...
If you go to Crete, you’ll often see old
women picking herbs from the mountain.
They can tell you the names and the
medicinal properties
for each one of them.
It’s true that in Crete grow as many as 1750
species and subspecies of herbs,
more than any other place of its size.
There are 130 species of herbs that
only grow in Crete and nowhere else on the planet.
They love them so much their herbs and have found
so many uses for each one of them.
Using so many different plants in daily life is just
one of the reasons for them being
among the champions of longevity on Earth.
Let’s look at another factor
influencing the way the Cretan food tastes.
Like all Greeks,
they don’t sell out.
That’s actually the last thing they would do.
Taverns and other small local businesses
businesses are passed down from generation to generation.
And so are the recipes and the procedures.
They say that if a product is good, don’t ever change it.
Opposing to millennial curiosity,
these guys stick to whatever they know it’s already good.
It took a while for me, as a millennial,
to understand the consequences of having so many choices.
So, I started following the Greek mindset
for a simpler, less stressful life.
They’re happy with what they have and
don’t really strive for something greater and bigger.
And this fact itself,
if you analyze its deeper meaning
you’ll probably end up seeing that
this could actually be the secret to a simple, healthy and happy life.
Why chase for something that MIGHT be good,
if this means you need to GIVE UP something that
has already been proven to be not good, but
excellent?...
The inhabitants of Crete live longer.
They are much fitter than most of us, they seem happier,
and with more down to Earth life goals.
They actually enjoy day to day life,
without the pressure of achieving something higher.
While doing this...they are free.
And they have the kind of freedom that most people
living in developed societies will never be
able to achieve.
Maybe they already know what I have only discovered a while ago…
That the world as we know it is losing
the grip with nature and simplicity,
and together with these... the freedom.
Cretan food was actually the starting point
the so-called Mediterranean diet,
which has gained so much popularity these days.
This diet consists of food from all the Mediterranean countries,
but it the wish to understand more
about it started here in Crete.
The researchers were intrigued by the good health of the Cretans.
They seem to eat less meat
and much more vegetables and herbs.
And of course, the olive oil.
...in absurd quantities.
Cretans are rich.
Not in the modern interpretation of the word.
but in the old way…
They have a rich and abundant nature,
that offers all they need to produce their own food.
They have their families close.
The young ones don't to the big cities,
they love their home island.
The food is cooked with love.
This is why it's so freakin' good:)
And they have raki :)
... which can make anybody happy for a short while.
And it's very very important
in this work to know
where your products are coming from.
And if you make it
it's very very beautiful to enjoy all of this.
Because if you have your garden,
your farm,
you eat your eggs, your milk
you don't need to go into the supermarket.
You understand the difference.
But you know...
The Cretan nature is so rich,
you don't know what to do first.
In spring we have all the herbs, the greens...
We're doing pies
kalitsounia
We're doing boureki,
we're doing so many hundreds of foods.
But you know...
It's not a lot the people who care about nature.
Because we live in a capitalism period
and only money is treasured.
To conclude, here are my tips for your first
encounter with Cretan food:
Whatever you do, don’t choose an All-inclusive
Go for some local and even rural AirBnbs.
Or you can even bypass AirBnb
By finding them directly.
The best accommodation is
the one where you feel a connection with the host
during previous communication.
There are many excellent hosts out there
who will recommend you authentic places to try the real Cretan food.
Many many tourists are coming every year in Creta,
but a lot of them stay closed in the hotels
and don't see anything.
But the people who are looking and care
they trust the Cretan culture,
they must come here,
and see all this beauty,
to enjoy not only the sea.
We have mountains,
rivers, lakes,
the sea,
especially in South of Creta is so beautiful,
it's like living in paradise.
Ask around.
Ask as many questions as you can.
Don’t Google, don’t search on Tripadvisor.
Who knows a place better than somebody who lives there?
Ask what places to visit, what beaches are the most suitable for you.
Dine in places that look and feel homie.
Especially in the villages.
Wherever you see a yaya or babous,
meaning a granny or grandpa,
that’s a good sign,
– they’re still around to check everything with their eyes,
to keep traditions alive.
When you finally choose a place, ask about
today’s fresh dishes or house specialities.
As much as you like one food, don’t repeat throughout your stay.
There are soooo many Cretan foods to try anyway.
Ps. Try the snails!
It’s one of the most traditional and healthy foods you can try in Crete.
The snails....
The diet of the snails.
I like it. With potatoes, zucchini and red sauce.
It's the most popular plate in Creta,
but all the tourists... they're not eating
this plate, because they hate the snails :)
There are many more Cretan foods out there.
This was just to get you started to try on your own.
You might have other thoughts on Cretan cuisine.
Feel free to share them in the comment section below.
Wishing you a wonderful time in Crete!