Art de la Table of the Holiday season

Just as important is the food on the festive dinner table, even more so  is the making of  the table.

 

Dazzle your guests this Christmas Season with a festive table you’ve created with the best tableware, linens and decorative items you have hidden in your cupboards and have not used for a whole year!  Simple details added to your table, like a beautiful candlelight and festive accessories can create an instant holiday spirit.

Now is the time use all the beautiful stuff your Grandma gave you, whether it is a tablecloth, china or silver. Nothing needs to be necessarily expensive, but only the best fits to this special occasion.
Fill the house with Poinsettias, the red flower of the Holy night. They do not cost a lot and give color to the house.

Use your imagination to think and create ideas that will make you table different than anything before, even with the simplest stuff. Ask your children to write the placement cards . This will take them out of your way while bringing the crystals.

It’s up to you to establish a warm and inviting atmosphere and make this year’s Holiday season xtraordinary.

How to Make Healthy Food Decisions

Butter or margarine?  Sugar or honey?  The multitude of products that crowd supermarket shelves, as well as the plethora of food preparation possibilities, often create complex dilemmas especially if you would like to follow the Mediterranean Diet model.  Below, you will find some helpful answers…

The Gourmed team has collected the most common queries and has made its best effort to answer them on the basis of both scientific information and common sense. Below, you will find answers that will assist you in making most of your Mediterranean Diet food-related decisions.

1. Cheese or eggs? Both are sources of protein and are considered to be substitutes for meat. Eggs also contain iron, which is not the case with cheese. On the other hand, however, eggs are higher in cholesterol. In fact, one egg contains a whopping 213 mg of cholesterol whereas 30g of cheese contains only 25 mg of cholesterol. Make your decision based on your dietary restraints.

2. Sugar or honey? Honey and sugar are both carbohydrates, or more particularly, both disaccharides (glucose and fructose). Honey, however, is a natural product which has not undergone processing and refining to the extent that sugar has. As a natural product, it contains vitamins and minerals present in the honeycomb. As a carbohydrate, sugar provides energy (in the form of calories) for the body, but contains no other nutrients. Choose honey.

3. Virgin or refined olive oil? Like honey, virgin olive oil has not been subjected to any processing, a fact which means its raw material is of superior quality. Refined olive oil has undergone processing in order to improve it in terms of aroma, color and taste. Choose virgin. But remember, refined olive oil will last longer than the virgin variety, as processing removes free fatty acids, the substance responsible for turning oil rancid. Even so, virgin olive oil is so satisfying that you will most likely consume it long before its expiration date.

4. Boiled or raw vegetables? Raw salad contains more water-soluble vitamins and minerals than boiled salads, as boiled vegetables lose many of their nutrients once cooked in water. Raw vegetables also contain indigestible fiber, a substance which will create the feeling of fullness earlier on and enhance the functioning of the small intestine. In fact, such fibers will bind with part of the cholesterol present in food and remove it from the body, as well as delay the body’s absorption of carbohydrates. Definitely go for the raw salad.

5. Butter or margarine? Whereas butter involves saturated fats, margarine entails trans-fatty acids. While it is widely known that the consumption of saturated fats in large quantities will cause harm to the cardiovascular system, the effects of trans-fatty acids are not as notorious. Even so, recent research has shown that trans-fatty acids raise levels of “bad” cholesterol while lowering the amount of “good” cholesterol, meaning that they are equally, if not more, harmful to the cardiovascular system than saturated fats. Choose butter.

6. Yoghurt with or without the cream? If you can find traditional yoghurt with cream (which has set only with the use of rennet), buy it – it’s a pure, natural, and delicious product. Yoghurt with commercially produced cream, however, is yet another product of industrial processing. Other than this difference, there is no significant nutritional difference between cow’s milk yoghurt with cream and the same product without it. Cream forms when milk has not been homogenized, meaning that the fat is concentrated on the surface, and has not diffused through the milk. So, if you are counting calories, go for the one without the surface layer of cream.

7. Full cream or skimmed milk? In retaining its fat, full cream milk retains its natural fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K). Unless you are trying to significantly reduce your fat intake, choose full cream milk. And then just avoid other sources of fat (butter, margarine, fat on meat), rather than sacrifice the valuable vitamins that come with a glass of full-fat milk.

8. Whole fruit or fruit juice? Go for whole fruit as it contains fiber and will provide the feeling of fullness that fruit juice cannot provide. Furthermore, the vitamins within fruit juice have been oxidized, thus rendering them less effective.

9. Yellow cheese or feta? While yellow cheeses (gruyere, kefalotiri, kasseri, etc.) contain more fat and less water than feta cheese, they have a significantly higher calcium content. In fact, 100 gr of gruyere contains 1,011 mg of calcium, whereas 100 gr of feta contains just 493 mg of calcium. On the other hand, apart from being a crucial source protein and good fats, feta also contains carbohydrate, a substance that is removed in the processing of yellow cheeses. Enjoy both types in moderation; neither is a poor decision.

10. White or brown sugar? In terms of calories, each kind of sugar is basically the same. One teaspoon of either variety contains 20 calories. The difference between them is that white sugar has undergone an extra stage of processing, known as bleaching, and is therefore far less natural. As brown sugar contains traces of molasses, it contains the nutrients from its raw ingredient – sugar cane. Go for brown sugar.

11. Finely chopped or roughly chopped vegetables? As a general rule, the larger, the better. In finely chopping vegetables, you inadvertently oxidize their vitamins, rending such vitamins less effective. Moreover, in chopping the vegetables, you break up the fiber content and reduce its beneficial effects. In other words, if you want to get the maximum benefits from the vegetable’s vitamins and fiber, chop them as little as possible.

12. Mustard or mayonnaise? Mustard contains far fewer calories than mayonnaise: a teaspoon of mustard contains 5 calories, whereas the same amount of mayonnaise contains 35 calories! Due to its egg content, mayonnaise is also very high in cholesterol. Mustard, on the other hand, contains no fat, as it is simply produced from pulped mustard seeds. Therefore, the condiment will cause no harm to the cardiovascular system. Mustard is the obvious choice.

13. White or red meat? Red meat, like veal or pork for example, contains far more saturated fats and cholesterol than white meat, like poultry or fish. Nevertheless, red meat serves as a crucial source of iron for the body. Dietitians recommend that we limit our red meat consumption to one portion a week, whereas white meat should be eaten three to four times a week. So, yes, generally go for the white meat. But do not substitute that one meal of red meat for white.

14. Tuna in oil or in water? Tuna is not preserved in water, as is commonly believed, but in brine – that is, salt water. Brine, like oil, helps to preserve the tuna. Making a choice between the two types of packaged tuna depends entirely on whether or not you have hypertension (high blood pressure). In such cases, the ingestion of extra salt should be avoided, so it is better to choose tuna in oil. Nevertheless, tuna in oil will be higher in calories. If you are looking to limit calorie intake, and do not have blood pressure problems, go for tuna in brine. 100g of tuna in brine contains 144 calories, as opposed to 198 calories for the same amount of tuna packed in oil.

15. Lemon or vinegar on your salad? Lemon will provide your body with much-needed vitamin C, a vitamin that protects against infection and is essential for the body’s absorption of iron. As it is an anti-oxidant, it will delay the oxidization of other ingredients within your salad, keeping them as beneficial as possible. Vinegar, by contrast, has no health benefits. It simply adds flavor to food and salads. Choose lemon.

16. Fried or boiled potatoes? The reason why experts do not recommend eating fried potatoes (French fries) is that the oil used in frying is high in calories. As for ready-cooked French fries, there is always the question of oil quality. If the oil is of poor quality, or has been used for frying more than three times, it will produce by-products of oxidization, which may be carcinogenic. In boiling potatoes, you use water rather than oil and therefore reduce your calorie intake considerably. The only disadvantage to boiled potatoes is that, since boiling expands the starch, they are not as easily digested as those that are fried.

17. White or brown bread? Brown bread is whole-grain bread, meaning that the husk, or outer layer of the grain, was not removed during processing. Therefore, brown bread contains roughage, which is vital for the proper functioning of the digestive system. Whole-grain bread contains more vitamins and minerals than white bread, as these are present in the husk. The same applies for brown rice, whole-grain cereals, and whole-grain pastas; in retaining the husk, the product remains rich in vitamins and minerals.

18. Tomato paste, tinned tomatoes or tomato juice? Unpeeled tomatoes are more nutritious because they retain their fiber content. In other words, tinned tomatoes are preferable to both tomato paste and tomato juice. Furthermore, both paste and juice contain much higher quantities of sugar and salt than tinned tomatoes.

19. Olive oil or seed oil? Because it is rich in the mono-saturated fatty acids that will act beneficially on the cardiovascular system, olive oil is more beneficial. It is also a considerable source of vitamin E, an anti-oxidant that fights both aging and cancer. Seed oils are always refined, that is, they have undergone processing in terms of aroma, color and taste.

20. Soda water or sparkling mineral water? Soda water is just water with the addition of sodium carbonate, the fancy name for baking soda. Carbonated mineral water naturally contains sodium carbonate, as well as many other minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, for example).  As a minor source of trace elements and minerals, sparkling mineral water is far richer in elements vital to the body.

How to Stay Healthy During Vacation

Continue reading to learn how to avoid gaining weight during your Mediterranean summer vacation…

Holidays are not the time for a diet. In fact, one of the things that makes holidays even more enjoyable is good food. So that you don’t return home too scared to get on the bathroom scale, it’s wise to just enjoy food in moderation. There’s no reason why you can’t sample everything, but do it in a smart way. There are ‘yes’ and ‘no’ choices in summer dining. By choosing only the ‘yes’ food, you’ll be putting pressure on yourself; however, if you only eat ‘no’ food, weight gain is inevitable. The best thing to do is to combine the two. Enjoy fattening temptations at one meal (not all meals) and simply reduce the amount you eat. If you’ve indulged in a heavy lunch, go for a piece of fruit in the afternoon rather than ice cream. By balancing things in this way, you’ll satisfy your taste buds as well as your figure. Finally, don’t forget that summertime gives you the opportunity to take part in calorie burning activities. Take full advantage of the sea, the countryside, play sports and then enjoy your favorite foods with a lot less guilt.

Don’t miss meals:
Most people complain that they gain weight in summer even though they’re eating less. The reason for this is that they snack far more. Breakfast, snacks, sandwiches at the beach, ice cream, something refreshing after a siesta, something light before going out for the evening, etc. Dietitians advise that you stick to three meals a day plus two in-between snacks if necessary. Regular meals help you to control the amount and the quality of what you eat, fending off hunger, and making it easier to count the calories. By skipping meals, you actually fall into the trap of eating more.

Better choices at breakfast:
Breakfast is one of the most enjoyable meals, particularly if you’re staying in a hotel. On the one hand, you have fresh juice, fruit along with all kinds of sweet pastries and breads. On the other hand, you have the big fry-ups including eggs, bacon, and sausages. The rules for healthy eating dictate that you stick with fruit, cereal, and yoghurt. The rules of summer, however, allow you to try a ‘forbidden’ pleasure every day, though in a small quantity. If you indulge in a heavy breakfast, opt for fruit at the beach and then a light lunch.

Vegetables are fattening when fried:
Eggplant, peppers, and zucchini are the most popular appetizers in the summer version of Mediterranean cuisine. Unfortunately, these are seldom roasted. More often than not, they’re served fried and loaded with calories. In addition, they’re usually accompanied by creamy dips (eggplant dip, spicy cheese dip, and Russian salad for example), which contain even more fat. Fried vegetables become more piquant when served with tzatziki (yoghurt dip) which, however, is made from strained yoghurt containing 10% fat. Watching others tuck in and enjoy while you abstain is no solution, but you can also savour the food by not trying to fill up on fried dishes. Have the peppers with vinegar and the zucchini as ‘plain’ as possible. Choose a fresh green salad instead of chips. And finally, if the appetizers served are quite high in fat, maybe skip the main meal.

Fruit in moderation:
Three servings of fruit is the recommended daily intake. In winter, when apples, oranges are pears are in season, it’s easy to see that one serving is the equivalent of one medium piece of fruit. In summer, however, when the range is much greater and size is different, things get complicated. Below are serving sizes for popular summer fruit:
peach, 1 medium
apricot, 4 medium
watermelon, 1 thin slice
cherries, 12 large
melon, 1/3 of a small one
grapes, 15 small
figs, 2 large

Over-indulging in fruit can load you with calories. But if you’re going to overdo anyhow, fruit is your best choice.

Swim, ride and walk:
If you find it difficult to restrict your calorie intake, then a solution would be to burn them off. Swim, play games on the beach, walk, ride, and dance. All of these are fun activities that will give you a work-out and speed up your metabolism. A person weighing 75 kg will burn about 150 calories by walking for half an hour, 190 calories by riding a bike, and around 290 calories within the same amount of time by swimming.

Take care when going out in the evening:
A summer evening’s entertainment usually involves dinner followed by a drink at a bar, while a drink at the bar inevitably involves snacking on nuts. If you intend to go for the nuts, make sure that your evening meal is light. For example, go for the fish with salad. If you intend to drink later in the evening, don’t be tempted to overdo it with wine or beer at dinner. Alcohol, apart from making you dizzy, among other things, can really add calories.

Here is a list of the most popular drinks consumed during summer in Greece, along with their calorie content:
wine (1 glass), 70 calories
beer (1 glass), 110 calories
ouzo (1 drink), 150 calories
whisky (1 drink), 100 calories
gin (1 drink), 95 calories
vodka (1 drink), 95 calories

Quench your thirst with water:
Water becomes even more important for the body in summer, since it plays a role in regulating body temperature. It transfers heat from the centre of the body out to the extremities and protects the body against large temperature fluctuations. To remain healthy, the average individual must drink a minimum three liters of water a day in the summer. A mistake many people make, one that proves quite costly in terms of calories, is quenching their thirst with soft drinks, juices, or coffee. These may provide the body with some water, but they’re also full of sugar. (A can of soft drink contains about 7 teaspoons of sugars, that is, 140 calories.) If you prefer sparkling drinks, go for mineral water.

Greek salad, a big trap: 
Bread consumption rises significantly in the summer and this is mainly due to Greek salad. Greek salad, when eaten by one person, usually constitutes a main meal rather than an accompanying salad. It contains four kinds of vegetables (tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion), olive oil (fat) and feta (protein). Indeed, when eaten with fresh bread, you’ve covered your daily cereal requirements too (a medium slice of bread contains 80 calories). Unless the salad is your entre, the best solution would probably be to share it.

The calorie content of a Greek salad is listed below:
2 small tomatoes – 80
half a cucumber – 20
half a pepper – 10
half an onion – 10
2 tablespoons of olive oil – 270
1 piece of feta cheese – 75
Total – 465 calories

What to do about the ice cream:
Indulge. Ice cream becomes an enemy only when you eat it often and in quantities larger than one normal serving. Just remember that one serving (two scoops) of strawberry ice cream contains 200 calories. So, eating ice cream in moderation won’t put you in danger of gaining weight. But when you fill a bowl with three scoops, sprinkle it with nuts, and then drizzle with syrup, the calories mount up. For fewer calories, opt for no toppings. Or just go for the granitas instead.

Dough for Dummies

Continue reading to discover everything you ever wanted to know about making the perfect dough…

The necessities for making dough…

Dough hook
If you have a set of beaters on a stand that came with your electric mixer, check if it includes a dough hook attachment. It may be a consideration when purchasing your next mixer as the attachment does take most of the hard work out of making dough. A single dough hook is more affective than an electric mixer that comes with two beaters. You can use the dough hook to make the dough and then knead it, reducing time and muscle action.
Flour
You can use many different flours to create a base dough. Flours such as soya, rye, wholemeal and chick pea can be used. With heavier flours such as rye, soya and chick pea, you may wish to use half plain (all-purpose) flour and half of the heavier flour so the dough is not too dense.
Seeds
Seeds can be kneaded into the dough, before baking, for flavour or sprinkled over a dough that has been brushed with oil, water or egg. Try to include sesame, linseed, poppy, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Muscles
Make sure yours are in good working order if you don’t have an electric mixer with a dough hook or just for the normal kneading and rolling that making dough requires.

Yeast
I prefer dry yeast for convenience, but make sure it hasn’t run past its expiry date as then it may not activate. The first step in the basic dough recipe is a good test to ensure the yeast is alive as the bubbles on the surface of the mixture signal activity. Yeast needs warmth, sugar and moisture to grow. Too much heat, sugar, salt or fat may kill the yeast. Yeast works by releasing tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide therefore making the dough stretch and rise.

Rolling pins
These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials such, as wood, plastic, marble and steel. Choose one according to your frequency of use and make sure that you feel comfortable using it to roll an even dough. There is no need to wash wooden rolling pins, simply wipe clean and remove any sticky dough using a pastry scraper or blunt knife.

Tips for success

• When adding the water to the yeast mixture, make sure that it is lukewarm. If the temperature is hotter, it may kill or deactivate the yeast.
• Yeast is a living organism that needs sugar, its form of food, to activate the yeast. But know that too much sugar will also kill the yeast, as will salt,
• When kneading, fold the front of the dough to the middle, press it into the centre and then press forward with your hand. Use the other hand to give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• The dough is kneaded sufficiently when it feels smooth and elastic. If you press it with your thumb, it should bounce back.
• When yeast is rising, keep it covered, away from draughts and warm, but don’t let it get too hot either or the yeast will die. The optimum temperature for yeast to grow is 27°C (80°F).
• Cool the cooked bread on wire racks to ensure it has a crisp crust.
• The dough needs to be kneaded sufficiently so that the gluten strands in the flour are developed and elastic. Then, when the yeast gives off its carbon dioxide, raising and aerating, the dough will stretch and hold like a framework.
• Add sugar, fruits, vegetables and other flavourings after the first rising of the dough to avoid destroying the yeast.

The History of Turkish Cuisine

Turkish cuisine is the result of the region’s seasonal products and a nomadic diet, combined with a variety of influences from the surrounding regions.

The history of modern Turkey began with the arrival of migrants from Central Asia’s Altay Mountains in Anatolia, otherwise known as Asia Minor. These people, the ancestors of  the modern Turks, were nomads that depended upon agriculture and the breeding of domestic animals. Their diet was based largely on mutton, goat meat, and beef, and they would prepare their meat in a tandir, an underground oven, or over an open wood or charcoal fire as kebabs. Most of Turkish food is prepared on top of the stove; the oven is hardly used.

One of Turkish cuisine’s traditional staple dishes is kavurma, small cubes of meat cooked in its own fat, salted, and then stored in large earthenware containers, until it is eaten in the winter months. Another traditional delicacy, pastirma, is a preserved meat that is salted, spiced, and dried in the sun. Both of these specialties have survived the onslaught of many centuries, remaining popular dishes still today.

Within the traditional nomadic diet, milk and dairy products played a significant role. The Turkish diet consisted primarily of yoghurt, a product considered today to be the most famous of Turkey’s culinary contributions to international cuisine. Mare’s milk in particular was believed to be far superior to either sheep or cow’s milk; In fact, nutritionists have recently pointed out that mare’s milk has four times the vitamin C content as cow’s milk. Traditionally, nomads would simmer the milk in large shallow pans so as to procure and then consume the cream which rose to the surface and formed a crust. The remaining milk would then be dried in the sun and stored as powder. Not only did milk and thick cream comprise the basic elements of a nomad’s breakfast, but such products would also be fermented to make a strong alcoholic beverage known as kimiz, which is still widely consumed within the region today.

Other basic foods included wheat and barley. Similarly, the product known as bulgar- boiled, dried, and cracked wheat- is still a significant cereal within the Turkish diet. Out of the myriad varieties of bread that the nomads would prepare, yufka ekmek (yufka bread) has historically been the most widespread, and remains so still today. The product is made with a dough of flour, salt, and water, rolled out in round layers, and browned on a thin iron plate, then dried and stored.

Amongst such dishes, one will also find fresh seasonal fruits, and a whole array of dried fruits. Villagers often preserve fruits through drying and sweetening, first soaking the produce in water and molasses made from grape juice. Even with modern advancements in technology and agriculture, many of the methods of food production -preserving, cooking, and baking- have remained unaltered. Most notably, Turkish cuisine has largely resisted the encroachment of fast food, in both the home and in restaurants.

Turkish cooking has been strongly influenced by that of China and Mongolia, with homemade noodles and manti (like tortellini) playing a predominant role atop the Turkish kitchen table. Many other cultures have also left their mark on Turkish cuisine. Arab influences, especially in the south and southeastern parts of Anatolia, have introduced many new spices – hot peppers in particular, while the Persian, Hittite, and Byzantine Empires introduced different vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and parsley, among many other ingredients. The combination of meats and fruits that characterize Iranian stews, as well as the different vegetable stews  known as yakni, have also made their way into Turkish cuisine. The concept of the “kebab,” one that typifies Turkish cuisine, is of Persian origin. Similarly, the pilav, or pilaf, is the Turkish version of pulau, which is decidedly Persian.

Turkish cuisine was also drastically influenced by that of Greece, primarily in baking. Whereas Central Asia is characterized by its flat breads and pites, Turkey has espoused the round breads that are characteristically Greek. Moreover, the Greek language has permeated much of Turkish cooking terminology, especially with regards to seafood. Today, a wide variety of the ingredients used in Turkish cuisine are still referred to by their Greek names.

During the rise of the Ottoman Empire the culinary arts played an important part in court life, with the richest and most diverse flavors found in dishes prepared during the reign of Sultan Mehmet the Second, who conquered Istanbul in 1453. Beginning with the Seljuqs, Turkey’s cultural forebear, the culinary arts began their gradual rise to greatness. The Seljuqs introduced Anatolia to many new foods, including fruits, vegetables, and herbs, that had been nonexistent in Central Asia. It was not long before these new ingredients began intermingling with the established breads, dough products, and kebabs, thus yielding many new dishes.

By the beginning of the 1700s, the sultan’s kitchen staff encompassed 1.370 people, all of whom were housed within the palace grounds. The preparation of each type of dish (soups, kebabs, pilafs, vegetables, fish, breads, pastries, candy, jams, etc.) was regarded as a separate skill. Alya Algar, in Classical Turkish Cooking, notes that “In 1661, a list showed that 36.000 bushels of rice, 3.000 pounds of noodles, 5000.000 bushels of chickpeas, and 12.000 pounds of salt were used in the palace; and in 1723, the annual meat supply of the palace was 30.000 head of beef, 60.000 of mutton, 20.000 of veal, 200.000 fowl, 100.000 pigeons.”

As time passed, olive oil gradually became an alternative for butter, and sugar replaced honey and grape molasses in desserts. Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, mustard, pepper, and saffron became the dominant spices, while parsley, mint leaves, onions, and garlic became the distinguishing herbs and seasonings.

Modern Turkey is made up of seven regions, each with indigenous agricultural products, cultures, customs, traditions, and local dishes. For example, the majority of desserts made with hazelnuts in the Black Sea area are made in the southeast region of Turkey with pistachios.

Neset Eren summed up Turkish cuisine best in his book The Art of Turkish Cooking: “Many of the well-known national cuisines rely on one basic element. For instance, French cuisine is based on the sauce. Pasta forms the essence of the Italian cuisine. There is however, no single dominant feature in the Turkish kitchen. Meats, fish, vegetables pastries, and fruit are cooked in an infinite variety of ways.”

Local Food Cooperatives

A food cooperative made up of people who both run, produce and deliver all the produce; strictly seasonal, traditional cultivation methods and genetically unmodified seeds.

There are cooperatives out there, trying within our present corporate and commercial environments to support different production methods, protect our natural heritage and create direct relationships with producers skipping the mediary. They are not interested in advertising, neither seeing the people who buy their goods as consumers and numbers but as real relationships with people who’s actions have consequences and mean something more than an exchange of good for money.Usually the quality of produce is the best you will find, almost like coming from your own garden and even better! The fewest amount of fertilizers, good quality seeds and carefully grown.There is a specific such cooperative in the center of Athens, that wished not to be named or written about out of choice. They wish to protect their goal and principles. Already the minimum wait at the till during the day is 1hour. They open only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and their produce is barely enough. They do not want to change the way they work, and do not want to create a “work force” in order to handle the amount of work as it would defeat the purpose of having a cooperative where every single one of the participants is equally involved in different parts of the project.

 

Address: Look for one close to you

Telephone: Contact details unknown

Price per person: very good prices

Opening Hours: Depends on the store, depending on the size, the amount of produce they have.

Naxos

It’s no easy task to encapsulate Naxos within the confines of a few sentences, nor is it easy to discover the island in just one visit.

To speak of its history, culture, customs, traditions, the people of Naxos themselves, its natural beauty, golden sands, awesome ruins, its towers and battlements…where dοes one begin? One can truly discern what writer Nikos Kazantzakis referred to as “a great sweetness.”

The largest island of the Cycladic group was given a great gift by the Creator: its fertile valleys teeming with olive trees, fruit-bearing trees, vegetables, vineyards… virtually everything is available here in great abundance, so much so that the island is self-sufficient.

 

As strong as a fortress, Naxos rises out of the Aegean, and the majority of those who have enjoyed holidays here stress the fact that it is an ideal destination for families. Entering the Hora in Naxos is done in a rather grand way…passing by “Portara” (Gateway). On the islet just in front of the harbour, the so-called “Palatia”, a huge marble gateway, rising imposingly, faces the island of Apollo, Delos.
Present day Hora is not lacking in charm and beauty either. High on a hill, it is adorned by its amazing castle-fortress, towers and embrasures, along with many residences built in the 14th and 15th centuries. A complex network of alleyways, roads and cobbled streets, stairways and doorways, roofed domes, fanlights, stately homes, coats of arms and balconies make it easy to get hopelessly lost and lead you, not surprisingly, to various cul de sacs.

There are countless routes one could take around the island. The longest seems to have been the one that connects Hora with Apollona, passing through the island’s interior and returning by the recently paved road from Aghia to Egkares and Hora.
The best spot for any wanderer is, naturally, the highest mountain in the Cyclades. Mt Zas (from Zeau-Dias, with a height of 1,004 metres), rising like a giant but also as an eternal guard to watch over the fertile valley of Tragaias. The first crossroads is at Chalki where the Tower of Grazias rises by the roadside, and the ‘little Mystras’ of Tragaias scatters its beautiful old churches around the surrounding area. Filoti, the largest village and one of the most picturesque, is 2 km further up. It is a jewel of white lace against the brown-grey slope of the mountain, with the rich Tragaias valley resting like a green necklace at its feet. From here you can make your way to the ‘Spylaio of Zas’ (the cave of Zas), walk down to the Tower of Cheimarrou, or continue your journey to Apeirantho.
To visit Naxos and not see Apeirantho, would be to neglect perhaps the most important part of the island. It os said that the village was founded by the Cretans in the 10th century AD, and in its little lanes you’ll certainly hear Cretan serenades in the couplet style and the amazing dialect of the locals. This is truly one of the loveliest villages in all the Cyclades, with narrow marble cobbled lanes, steep inclines, Venetian towers, domes, a variety of old, stone-built houses, delightful balconies, small picturesque squares with coffee houses lost in time, and inhabitants who maintain their own customs and traditions, continuing the great spiritual and cultural tradition of Apeirantho.
Naxos gives the impression of being endless; when you visit the beaches of Aghia Anna and Plaka or the tiny beaches of Vigla and Pyrgaki, the atmosphere of a summer resort brings you back to the present day and offers an amazing sense of holidays that are carefree and you wish would never end on this beautiful Cycladic island.
Naxos can be reached by ferry boat, by the newer and faster passenger ferries, or by air. There are frequent departures, so you won’t encounter any difficulty in getting there (unless you’d like to take your car, in which case you should make arrangements well in advance for both the outbound and return trip).

 

Distances on Naxos are by no means negligible. Apollonas is 48 km from Hora if you take the inland road towards the eastern side of the island, and 36 km if you follow the newer coastal road running along the island’s western side.

 

Distances from Hora to the following places are: Aghia Anna, 6 km; Apeiranthos, 26 km; Egkares, 7 km; Koronida, 37 km; Melanes, 8 km; Sagkri, 11 km; Filoti, 19 km; Chalki, 16 km; Tower of Cheimarrou, 32 km (6.5 km of which is along a dirt road).
 

Accommodation

Quite apart from the large number of hotels on the island, there are hundreds of rooms to rent, as well as well-run camping sites that resemble complete little communities (some even boast a swimming pool!).

 

Below are listed some of these: Zeugoli Tower (Hora castle) 22850-25200, Apollon (Hora) 22850-25201, Villa Medusa (Plaka) 22850-75555, Adonis (Apollonas) 22850-67060, Naxos Palace Hotel(Stelida) 22850 29133 – 4 & 23830, Kavos Villas and Apartments (Agios Prokopios) 22850 23355, 24142, Dimitra Studios (Kastraki Beach) 22850-22086, 22850-75404 .

 

Food

Welcome to the island of plenty! Naxos is a food lovers’ paradise, and no matter how long you stay, there’s always a new gastronomic pleasure to give in to. Briefly then, I’ll mention what I was able to discover and taste while I was there.

 
For good fish, I went to “Paradiso” in Maranga, but also to the exceptional “Gorgona” at Aghia Anna, which also has excellent ready cooked dishes too.

 

At Apeirantho, “Lefteri” stands out as a spotlessly clean, traditional style taverna. The “Kastani” grill house at Filoti is excellent. For local ingredients and recipes I visited the “Klouvatou” taverna in Kinidaro.

 

In Hora, there’s a fine restaurant called “Klimataria“, and for fish I’d recommend “Karnagio” and “Psistaria tis Popis” for grilled meat. Everyone claims that the grilled meat at Potamia has a unique taste.

 

For good fowl, hare and goat try “Dekes” in Melanes or “Magkani” at Tripodes. In my opinion, Naxos’ best cheese is the piquant “Arseniko”.

 

Area code 22850

Police, Hora 22100

Health Centre, Hora 23333

Port Authority 22300

Town Hall, Hora 22717

Greece: Our Favourite Winter Retreats on the Greek Islands

The sea and islands of Greece have a beautiful, ethereal and almost haunting aura during the winter.

 

Fortunately the Greek islands offer a wide range of choices for quality accommodation during the winter months, even though this is their low season. Here we present you with our favourite 5 hotels and guesthouses for winter vacations on the Greek islands:

Pelekas Country Club

An 18th century estate on the Ionian island of Corfu, converted into a beautiful hotel. It offers all the necessary modern amenities, within an atmosphere of vintage nostalgia. The natural surrounding is beautiful, as the hotel is located in the middle of a forest.

Pelecas, 49100
Corfu
Tel. +30 26610 52239
Fax. +30 26610 52919
http://www.country-club.gr
pelecas@country-club.gr

Varos Village Hotel

To open a guesthouse for all seasons on a far away island such as Limnos, is a bold move. It requires that you offer something special, if not unique. Varos Village hotel has achieved just this. It offers a complete package of services to the winter traveller visiting Limnos. Experience the relaxation and feel the grandiosity of the Lemnian landscape.

Traditional settlement of Varos village
Limnos, 81401
Tel. 22540-31728, 210-7251038
Fax.22540-31726
http://www.varosvillage.com
info@varosvillage.com

Kos Aktis Art Hotel

For those with an artistic interest, this hotel on the island of Kos will become a landmark. The old Xenia, in the centre of Kos town, has been rebuilt into a minimalistic gem, offering comfort and style. Kos keeps a burning flame during the winter too.

7, Vassileos Georgiou Str.
Kos, 85300
Tel. 22420-47200
Fax. 22420-47210
http://www.kosaktis.gr/

sales@kosaktis.gr

Avli Lounge Apartments

Worshipers of gastronomy and good wine will find the absolute winter destination in Rethymno, Crete. This high quality hotel, comes to complete Crete’s perfect culinary image, with an awarded restaurant, whose fame has surpassed the island’s borders. The old town of Rethymno is charmer throughout the seasons.

Xanthoudidou 22 & Radamanthous
Rethymnon
Tel. 28310-58250/26213
Fax.28310-58255
http://www.avli.gr
info@avli.gr

Avgonima All Seasons Hotel

Chios is not just about history and culture. It is an island with an interesting interior, as inhabitants kept away from the shores, due to their fear of pirates. You can explore the island’s interior easily, by using Avgonima All Seasons Hotel as your base. It is located at the centre of the island and offers its amenities and hospitality all year round. Don’t miss a walk through the mastic tree forest.

Avgonima
Chios, 82200
Tel. 6947941810
http://www.avgonima.gr
info@avgonima.gr

Greece: Winter Across Greece, Four of our Favourite Destinations

Read if you really want to get to know Greece in the winter time.

Get to know Greece’s snow-covered mountaintops, dense forests, aristocratic, old mansions, and evenings by the fireplace disclose a hidden charm.

MetaxohoriI
n the prefecture of Larissa, on a green expanse across Kissavos mountain, stands the village of Metaxohori, known for its silk production. In the middle of thick woods and the Diavolorema river, stand simple village houses, as well as large mansions, reminders of the wealth of the 18th and 19th century. The one that stands out amongst the others is The Souliotis Mansion, renovated and currently a bed-and-breakfast; it offers a warm and nostalgic environment. You can spend your time going for long walks along the stone alleyways and drinking coffee in the village square. You can visit the old girl’s school and light a candle at the chapel of St. Nicholas, with its silver dome. In the evening, after a meal of pepper pie,lachanodolmades and chicken stifado, enjoying a glass of strong, local tsipouro.

 

Kalavryta
We begin with the funicular railway that crosses Vouraikos gorge, starting at Diakofto. On the way to the martyred town of Helmos, the train stops at Zachlorou where we can visit the historic Monastery of Megalo Spilaio. Then we arrive at the old railway-station in Kalavryta. Soon we find ourselves in Kalavryta amongst hundreds of skiers that fill the town, as there is a ski center only 14km away. One should enter the Museum of the Holocaust, make a stop under the clock of the Metropolitan church that is stuck at the time of the great disaster of 1943, and end up at the Agia Lavra Monastery. After our walk we can eat kleftiko lamb and cock with hylopites at the “Kalavryta” or “Alles Gefseis” taverns, try cheese pie and milk pudding at “GriGri”, and buy fresh products from the many small shops in the town center.

 
Tsagarada
Built at 450m above the Aegean and near the ski-center in Chania, Tsagarada seems to be hiding within Pelion’s rich vegetation. The mansions, the public buildings and the churches divide the town into seperate neighbourhoods, such as Agioi Taxiarches with its wonderful spring and artful Basilica. In Agia Paraskevi, we can sit under the thousand-year-old tree and honour Anatoli’s spetzofai. Amongst the alleyways near the stone buildings of Achilopouleios school of commerce, the local high school and the Nanopouleios School, we find the fine hotel Lost Unicorn, known for its sophisticated, Victorian-style atmosphere and the daring gastronomic proposals of its chef, combining Pelian and international flavours.

 

Megalo and Mikro Papigo
In the prefecture of Ioannina and in the arms of Gamila, stand the artistically built, stone villages of Western Zagori. The road passes through woods over the spectacular gorge of Vikos, to lead us to the Megalo and Mikro Papigo. Megalo Papigo was a powerful medieval village, built at an altitude of 1000m, that charms with its architectural grace and sights such as the old church of Agios Vlassios. At a site with a spectacular view of the Gamila towers, stands the Papaevaggelou Pension, an ideal choice for a very comfortable stay. Here, Ioannides invites us to try his zagoritiki pie and paprikasse, combined with tsipouro and the famous wines Katoi and Zitsa. Afterwards, it’s worth walking to Mikro Papigo, the starting point for hikers that head to the conservatory of Astrakas and the alpine Drakolimni at 2497m.

Greece Ai-Giorgis in Pelio, a True Escape from City Life

Greece Ai-Giorgis in Pelio, a True Escape from City

Life

If you are looking for a true Escape from City Life, Ai-Giorgis in Pelio, Greece is the ideal getaway.

If you are looking to escape the city and detox yourself from city noises, daily routine and urban life, then we‘ve got the perfect place for you; the village of Ai-Giorgis in Pelio is the ideal getaway.
We drive past Volos, where the signs point to Kato and Ano Lehonia. Apple, orange, lemon and olive trees, as well as different flowers, lead the way to western Pelio. My choice to keep a distance from all the classic, touristy villages gave me a sweet surprise. In Ai-Giorgis, there is no overcrowding, no traffic jams, no shops packed with people.

History:

The village scenery consists of peaceful nature and cottages lying on the two mountain slopes, right over the Pagasitic Gulf. A smiling Mr. Dimitris was the one to welcome me to the well-preserved “ArhontikoIoannidi”, the place where I was going to stay. I sat comfortably in the living-room while listening to him talk about the ornamental ceilings and old Egyptian furniture. And this is what I discovered about Ai-Giorgis: It used to be one of the richest villages in Pelio, inhabited by 1500 people; a place where migrant merchants to Egypt would return to build neoclassical building just as Ioannidis himself did. The mountain air, the running water, and the picturesque architecture of the local houses, made my walk around the small village streets highly enjoyable.

Worth remembering:

I walked through gardens forgotten by time, as well as newly renovated hostels, to St. George’s church and all the way to St. Elias, where I enjoyed a wonderful view. I had tea in a cozy café and I visited the Pavlopoulos Museum, an internationally renowned sculptor, born there.

A treat from the nuns:

At dinnertime I found myself in a tavern, in front of a table full of local dishes, which all seemed simply delicious. These dishes contributed to a sweet night’s sleep. What I retained as a final memory from this place, is the handmade Christmas treat from the nuns of the neighbouring monastery; a sugary closure to a wonderful trip.

Where to stay:

Arhontiko Ioannidi

Tel: +30 210 902 2291, +30 24280 94071

An astonishing historic building, built in 1888,  with high, decorated ceilings, Egyptian furniture, 4 bungalows with a view of the Pagasitic Gulf, and homemade breakfast.

Anovolios

Tel: +30 24280 86898.

A block of traditional, but renovated, buildings.

Arhontiko Vogiatzopoulou

Tel: +30 24280 93135.

Modern as well as traditional elements are beautifully combined in this renovated neoclassical house from 1908.

Where to eat:

Right in the village centre, there is a tavern called Tsakitzis, where you can taste the local cuisine. Try fish, bekri meze and tsipouro at Stefanis’, or meat filet and mozzarella broccoli at Anovolios’ restaurant.

Further information:

Area Code / +30 24280
Tourist Information Volos / +30 24210-23500
Milies Town Hall / +30 24230-86891