Home-made yeast breads, rusks oil buiscuits and sweets with honey, grape juice syrup and sesame are an experience not only for gourmeds. Crete has always been hospitable, offering its guests so many experiences, that they never forgot it…
We will now present you some Cretan specialties that we definately suggest you try...
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| Cretan Dakos ( rusks) |
Cretan Dakos is the most famous apetizer of the Cretan diet. Prepared with traditional Cretan rusks, extra virgin olive oil, chopped tomatoes, feta cheese and oregan from the Cretan mountains, is considered to be the best starter for the gastronomic habits of the locals in daily basis. It is also a delicious fast prepared healthy snack for hard working people and those who love to eat light.
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| Cretan Cheese |
Cretan Cheese. The consumption of cheese in Crete is the highest in the world! Maybe the Cretans are right. The don't regard food as a medicine, they know how to enjoy its taste.
And the taste of the Cretan cheese (graviera, kefalograviera, kefalotiri, sweet or sour mizithra, anthotyros) and the rest of the dairy products is unsurpassed!An important source of proteins of high biological quality, cheese plays a central role in the Cretan diet. It is said to be a source of saturated fats but the Cretans who eat it do not have high levels of cholesterol, probably the combinations of the Cretan nutritional model provide the ideal balance...
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| Greek Salad (choriatiki) |
The Greek Salad is a gourmed dish that accompanies every meal of the Cretan diet. Prepared from the purest gifts of the blessed Cretan Land is a high nutrional value dish, rich in vitamins. The combination of tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, dry onions, cretan olives, feta cheese, oregan and of course extra virgin olive oil gives in Greek Salad an extraodinary taste that the only word to describe it is "beauty" ..!
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| Snails (boubouristi) |
Snails are highly appreciated on the island of Crete, and considered to be one of the finest delicacies as long as he most characteristic Cretan food. Snails are gathered after rain, preferably in early spring and in summer, under big or smaller stones. After cleaned very carefuly snails are fried in extra virgin olive oil with vinegar, salt and rosemary. Snail Festival is organised every year in Vamos (village near Chania) where the locals cook up snails and wash them down with raki and red wine.
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| Spinach Pie (spanakopita) |
Spinach Pie is a delicacy of the Cretan nutrition. Fresh spinach, dough, feta cheese, onions, parsley, fresh eggs and of course extra virgin olive oil are the ingredients needed. House wives of Crete prepare spinach pie for daily consumption and is a dish that can be used at all meals of the Cretan diet (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Spanakopita ( spinach pie) can also be found in bakeries all over the island as locals eat it also as a quick snack in daily basis.
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| Sfakiani pita |
Sfakiani pita a special kind of pie with cheese which is very thin, like a crepe and is served with honey and many, many other recipes which not only you will enjoy but also learn how to create them on your own to offer them to yourself and your loved ones! Sfakiani pita (Sfakia Pie) is mostly found around Sfakia village and is usually offered as a desert at local taverns in the area of Chania combined with cold local raki. Its unique flavour will makes you feel a sweet seduction that cannot be descibed in words...
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| Cretan Thyme Honey |
Cretan Thyme Honey, the sweetest product of Cretan nature with a long history. Starting from ancient times, honey had a prominent place in the diet of Cretans and it is believed that was regarded the gift given to man by the Gods. Honey is consumed on a daily basis by the Cretans since the ancient times - either plain or as part of sauces and sweets. In Cretan folk tradition, honey symbolizes fertility and welfare. The golden, fragrant honey is offered to newlyweds as a symbol of happiness and during celebrations as symbols of abundance.
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| Cretan Spoon Sweets |
Cretan Spoon Sweets or (glyka koutaliou) as pronounced in the local dialect are used as deserts in Cretan Cousine. Spoon sweets become a delicacy when combined with Cretan yogurt. Spoon sweets are mostly made either in small family businesses or by housewives for the house needs. Cherries, figs, nuts, carrots, olives, oranges, apples, pears are some of the main spoon sweet types found in Crete. However the most popular is made by grapes and is usualluy served with ice cold Cretan raki.
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| Gamopilafo |
Gamopilafo "rice of the wedding" is a traditional local specialty basicaly served as the primary dish of Cretan weddings. It emphasizes the hosting family’s fertility and wealth by using rice, meat and poultry at the same time. Combined with red Cretan wine is an integral part of the local tradition as long as a "must try" dish when in Crete.
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| "Ofto" or "Antikristo" Lamb |
“Ofto” or “Antikristo” is a traditional Cretan way of cooking lamb or goat meat in an open fire. It has its region in the Minoan Crete and was mostly prepared in mountainous areas usually by shepherds. The way it was cooked was very convenient for the shepherds because they could not use any utensils outdoors in the mountains. Today ofto is a specialty served at all traditional Cretan taverns and is a part of the Cretan Culinary magic...
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| Pita Gyros ( Gyros pie) |
Pita Gyros is the most beloved fast food of Cretans. Grilled pieces of pork or chicken in a sandiwich with rare tomatoes, onions, yogurt or tzatziki and frech fried potatoes. Similar to the turkish doner kebab, and the mexican taco gyros is part of the daily nutritional habits of the Cretans. In fact Cretans and generally Greeks fond of gyros which consume like mad since is a fast cheap highly nutrional snack that can be found everywhere... It is also believed that Pita Gyros is the perfect food as combines all kinds of nutrients (vitamins, proteins etc.)
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| Seafood |
Seafood is part of the Cretan nutrition from the ancient times. Thousands of fish taverns exists all around the island serving fresh fishes that they are suplied by the local fishermen in daily basis. Fried or grilled are exceptionally tasty and bewitch fish lovers, locals and visitors. Fish soup (psarosoupa or kakavia) is another beloved cretan dish and is also the most ancient Greek soup. It was traditionally made from the smallest fish caught by fishermen, along with olive oil, onions, and saffron.
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| Cretan Wines |
Cretan Wines. The art of wine making is familiar for Cretans since the Minoan times before 1600 B.C. Today wine is produced all over Crete, the majority of vine yards being distributed in Iraklion and Chania. Approximately 15% of the total Greek wine production comes from Crete. Most of this wine is manufactured by companies and sold to the public under their own brands, or for other brand names, while a sizeable amount is still produced by individuals for their own use..
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| Cretan Raki |
Cretan Raki or tsikoudia is a local cretan distilled alcoholic drink, a clear and fragrant liquor which visitors are offered as a welcoming gesture, or at the end of a meal. Raki contains about 37% alcohol, similar to Scotch whiskey or gin. It is served straight, in shot glasses, usually well chilled.The cretan raki is not just a local product. It is an intrinsic part of the identity of the local culture and expresses cretan hospitality.
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