Kythera -Day 1

Under the Kytherian sun!


 

Porfyrousa, the ferry to  Kythera

 

Aphrodite, the ancient goddess of love, was conceived in the sea foam of the island of Kythera and was carried by the surf to the island of Cyprus where she emerged in all her glory. Kythera, also known as Tserigo, lies off the southern coast of the Peloponnese, an hour's ferry ride from Neapolis.  It takes half a day of driving from Athens to the seaport, through the wild landscape  of olive groves, vineyards and hilly open spaces. The mountain-range of Taygetos looms in the distance, tall and scraggly and imposing.

A statue at the Neapolis Harbor in honor of the seafarer

Travelling to the islands is a major Greek activity, especially in the summer time and especially during the month of August.

Disembarking

For the past 14 years I have been lucky to spend a few days every August on Kythera. Like many before me I have fallen in love with this unspoiled, not easily accessible island. I'm enamored with it's crystal clean beaches, it's byzantine churches dotted throughout the island, it's wild expanses where thyme and oregano grow, narrow windy roads, it's uniquely tasting foods and above all, it's people.

Come with me on this August's journey and let's swim together in the clearest beaches, taste the sublime food and meet some of the locals.

Octopus (or is it octopi??)drying in the sun 

Waiting for the ferry

View of Diakofti Harbor in Kythera

Ceramic Urn in Kytherian Yard

Kytherian vegetable garden

My sister-in-law's welcome gate

 

Door of traditional house

View of the countryside

Just picked tomatoes

Cactus with ripe prickly pear fruit

Ripe fig

View of the kitchen house

Pomegranates

Blooming hyacinths always welcome me at this time of year

Old traditional buildings



 

I wish I could bring you the scents of the fresh island air, the aroma of the fruits, the sounds of the ciccadas and the voices of the people.

 

On my next post we'll swim at the Paleopolis beach and have lunch under the trees at Skandia restaurant.  Don't forget to come along!

 

Enjoy,

 

Maria

 

Gazpacho

 

With all the summer vegetables so alive this season you can't help but want to eat them as close to fresh as possible. Gazpacho is an easy, refreshing way to do just that.

 
 

 

 With the bag of tomatoes cousin Yianni gave us I knew I had to do something more than just salad. All the ingredients for a tasty gazpacho were right there in my kitchen, including the basil which every self respecting Greek has to have a plant on their balcony.

 

I diced one medium onion, peeled lots of garlic, diced a cucumber and a pepper. I then peeled a mountain of tomatoes and diced them as well. I reserved some for garnish and pureed the rest in batches in my blender.

I boiled some zucchini with the blossom still on

 

Gazpacho
1 onion diced
4 gloves of garlic peeled
1 cucumber peeled
1 pepper red or green
5-6 large ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 heaping teaspoon sea salt
dash of pepper
red pepper flakes

Puree everything in batches. To this wonderful mixture I added two tablespoons of wine vinegar, a quarter cup extra virgin Greek olive oil, Kytherian sea salt and pepper and I added some red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Mix well with a large spoon, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve with crusty bread(I toasted mine topped with graviera cheese), garnished with the reserved diced veggies, chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Heaven!

Enjoy,

Maria

Psarou - Seafood restaurant in Greece

 

One of the great pleasures is the discovery of new culinary destinations. For me, this summer, it is the restaurant Psarou on the coastal road to Sounion just outside of Saronida.

That evening Stelios and I got dressed for dinner and off we went in search of "Psarou." Just a few kilometers out of town, there on the left hand side was the sign with the cat, smirking as if it had swallowed the canary. But of course it wasn't the canary, it was the fish!

Marinated Octopus

The outdoor tables

 

These destinations are not always found by accident, but usually they are shared by friends or neighbors in ecstatic whispers. Such was the case with Psarou, when my good neighbor Yiannis described in drooling detail the meals he'd had at the place.

 

Seafood pasta dishes, bulgur-wheat salad, marinated octopus and then he spoke of the double fried potatoes as if it where the gospel. That cinched it for me! Psarou it would be for dinner that evening. Yet, we were cautioned to go early(by 8:30-9:00pm) so we could get a table, that's how popular the place is.

These tables didn't stay empty long

Almira-salty greens- really yummy!

 

The double fried potatoes!

 

Our two glasses of ouzo- ouzo turns milky when you add water.

 

Three fried fish!

We were seated at a table for two and from there unfolded a delicious, romantic Greek dinner a deux, with a small bottle of ouzo Barbagianni providing that extra little spark.

Thank you Yianni, your recommendation was a winner!

Enjoy!

Maria

Farmer's Market in Greece

Every Monday morning on Kefalinias street in Saronida, tents of produce-sellers pop-up. Go early and have the pick of the offerings.

Mountains of fragrant melons and zucchini with the blossoms still attached

the scent of these peaches is like no other

summer oranges

Octopus anyone?

Kalamari

The sweetest figs!

Okra

Farmer's Markets in Greece are a norm not a trendy luxury as in the United States. Food there(mostly produce) is fresher and cheaper than the supermarket and people plan their week's meals around the shopping at the market. Greeks traditionally cook what's seasonally available and there's much talk about what's for sale at the weekly market called "Laiki" meaning, for the people.

The Greek countryside produces abundant fruits and vegetables, cheeses, herbs, meats and condiments with scents and flavors that seduce the palate. Produce is harvested at it's peak and the Greek consumer is very discerning when it comes to their food. There are heirloom varieties, varieties grown in specific locales that shoppers always look for.

Here's a bit of candy for they eye, I wish I could bring you the musk of the melons, the perfume of the peaches, the sweetness of the figs, the juiciness of the oranges.

Enjoy!

Maria