I wish I had time to post some pictures from the last few weeks, to catch up with what's been happening during my sister's visit, but unfortunately today will have to be dedicated to packing up, cleaning house and all the little details involved in preparing to return to the US tomorrow morning on the 7am flight from Chania. Lots to do.
Once I'm back in the States I'll update the blog to cover recent stuff.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Dourakis Winery
This weekend was "Open House" at many of the wineries on Crete. Debra Papanioff of the CIC tipped me off to this via a page suggestion for Dourakis Winery on Facebook, and I thank her for doing so because Luella, Koula and I had another excuse to get together and drink nice wine.
We were impressed not only with the wines (we tasted about 9 of them), but with the knowledge and enthusiasm of Adonis and Evie, the son and daughter of the founder of the winery.
I didn't take detailed notes on each of the wines, but they were all of high quality and I chose to buy two bottles of their organic Vilana (one for my sister's visit, one to take back to the US) and one of their Carignan (also for consumption while my sister is here, hopefully with a nice hunk of red meat, because the tannins are formidable at this point).
The grounds were beautiful, the cellar enchanting and I even came across some very well-fed looking cats in a room containing some production equipment, while I was searching for the restroom.
Finally, I had one of those "small world" experiences (which can be pretty common here in Crete) when a friendly older gentleman chatted us up and offered us a business card for the Kassimatis family shops in Chania. I've been dealing with his son Michalis since I arrived last summer, purchasing some skin care products that I like from him whenever I need them. I've always enjoyed dealing with Michalis because of his outgoing, friendly nature, and I see now that it runs in the family.
Around the winery.
The gentleman to my left is Kurios Kassimatis, and the couple in the bottom right photo are Evie and Adonis.
We were impressed not only with the wines (we tasted about 9 of them), but with the knowledge and enthusiasm of Adonis and Evie, the son and daughter of the founder of the winery.
I didn't take detailed notes on each of the wines, but they were all of high quality and I chose to buy two bottles of their organic Vilana (one for my sister's visit, one to take back to the US) and one of their Carignan (also for consumption while my sister is here, hopefully with a nice hunk of red meat, because the tannins are formidable at this point).
The grounds were beautiful, the cellar enchanting and I even came across some very well-fed looking cats in a room containing some production equipment, while I was searching for the restroom.
Finally, I had one of those "small world" experiences (which can be pretty common here in Crete) when a friendly older gentleman chatted us up and offered us a business card for the Kassimatis family shops in Chania. I've been dealing with his son Michalis since I arrived last summer, purchasing some skin care products that I like from him whenever I need them. I've always enjoyed dealing with Michalis because of his outgoing, friendly nature, and I see now that it runs in the family.
Around the winery.
The gentleman to my left is Kurios Kassimatis, and the couple in the bottom right photo are Evie and Adonis.
Friday, May 14, 2010
My 42nd Birthday
Spent in the company of my two lovely friends, Koula and Luella. Luella's birthday was on the 12th, so we combined celebrations and made a day traipsing around the Akrotiri peninsula. We started at the Agia Triada monastery, which structurally reminded me very much of the Arkadi monastery, I guess because they were both built during the Venetian occupation (I think...my readers know I'm not exactly a history buff so please forgive any inaccuracies). I wanted to buy some of their wine, which comes highly recommended by Koula, but it would require leaving it in the hot car for the remainder of our day, and I didn't want to risk spoiling it. I hope to go back before I leave to buy some so that I can serve it at our next AOC gathering.
After we left the monastery, we headed to the beach at Stavros, which is where "Zorba the Greek" was filmed. The day was overcast with cloud cover and dust from Africa, and although it was still hot and humid, none of us felt like swimming so we just had a small lunch at one of the outdoor tables and watched a large group of tourists try to catch some rays and a swim before their tour bus loaded them up and carried them off. After Stavros we took a short detour to a couple of other beaches on the peninsula, just to have a look, and then went to Koukouvayou for coffee and dessert. This cafe claims one of the best views of Chania town from above, but the strange dark tint to the day wasn't optimal for taking in this fantastic view.
After Koukouvayou we went back to Luella's place where she poured us some nice red wine from Miden Agan, and cut up an incredibly flavorful melon to serve alongside sliced cucumbers and cheese. We sat on her balcony with a nice view of the water and chatted while we killed time until our dinner reservation at 8pm. The picture here is of the sun, which looked somewhat post-apocalyptic in the gray sky. Normally a sky like this would make me feel depressed and want to stay inside, but fortunately I was in good company.
We had dinner at Kariatis, a chic yet comfortable Italian restaurant located on one of the back streets of the old harbor. It was great to get a break from the usual taverna food, sharing a large crepe dish for a starter and then each ordering our own pasta dish. The wine, Semeli Mantinia Nasiakos, was a delightful moschofilero with a subtle but definite grapefruit aroma and flavor. This is another I'd like to seek out and bring back to the US with me! One of my favorite parts to the meal was the surprise birthday raspberry cheesecake that Koula ordered and had delivered to the restaurant for after our meal. It was one of the best I've tasted, and my mouth is watering right now thinking about it. I was so full that I insisted Luella and Koula split the leftover cake and take it home, but at this moment I'm wishing I hadn't!
The three of us at dinner, looking quite fabulous if I do say so. Thanks ladies, for a perfect day. I'm so happy to have spent my 42nd with you both!!
After we left the monastery, we headed to the beach at Stavros, which is where "Zorba the Greek" was filmed. The day was overcast with cloud cover and dust from Africa, and although it was still hot and humid, none of us felt like swimming so we just had a small lunch at one of the outdoor tables and watched a large group of tourists try to catch some rays and a swim before their tour bus loaded them up and carried them off. After Stavros we took a short detour to a couple of other beaches on the peninsula, just to have a look, and then went to Koukouvayou for coffee and dessert. This cafe claims one of the best views of Chania town from above, but the strange dark tint to the day wasn't optimal for taking in this fantastic view.
After Koukouvayou we went back to Luella's place where she poured us some nice red wine from Miden Agan, and cut up an incredibly flavorful melon to serve alongside sliced cucumbers and cheese. We sat on her balcony with a nice view of the water and chatted while we killed time until our dinner reservation at 8pm. The picture here is of the sun, which looked somewhat post-apocalyptic in the gray sky. Normally a sky like this would make me feel depressed and want to stay inside, but fortunately I was in good company.
We had dinner at Kariatis, a chic yet comfortable Italian restaurant located on one of the back streets of the old harbor. It was great to get a break from the usual taverna food, sharing a large crepe dish for a starter and then each ordering our own pasta dish. The wine, Semeli Mantinia Nasiakos, was a delightful moschofilero with a subtle but definite grapefruit aroma and flavor. This is another I'd like to seek out and bring back to the US with me! One of my favorite parts to the meal was the surprise birthday raspberry cheesecake that Koula ordered and had delivered to the restaurant for after our meal. It was one of the best I've tasted, and my mouth is watering right now thinking about it. I was so full that I insisted Luella and Koula split the leftover cake and take it home, but at this moment I'm wishing I hadn't!
The three of us at dinner, looking quite fabulous if I do say so. Thanks ladies, for a perfect day. I'm so happy to have spent my 42nd with you both!!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Botanical Park of Crete
A big thanks to Margaret Doyle of the CIC for putting this fabulous day together, and for inviting me along. Koula (my cooking instructor) accompanied me, and I was really happy that she was able to show me many various types of edible horta as we walked through the park (see picture of various "weeds"). To think, in the US we use pesticides on this sort of stuff, whereas here we boil or steam it and serve with lemon, oil, salt and pepper for a nutrient packed meal!
In addition to the park, which contains a plethora of plants, flowers, trees and herbs from all over the world (and some critters,too!), there is a very nice restaurant on site which serves fresh, organic, locally grown food and wine. I learned during the wine tasting that they make a white Romeiko, which was heretofore unknown to me. It was quite nice, as was their fresh rose Romeiko (which is blended with grenache) and their oak-aged romeiko, which had a nice port-like quality. The Romeiko grape is used widely in the production of bulk wine on Crete, and is often of very poor quality. This was a refreshing exception.
For lunch we had salad, bread, tzaziki, boureki and a blend of vegetables from the garden called sympetherio (literally translated as "relationship by marriage"). Prior to our walk through the park, the chef demonstrated how to make each dish, and we were permitted to taste some of the individual ingredients that go into each dish, including mint leaves and myzithra cheese.
The price for the entire day was ridiculously low at 10 euros. This event surely was worth at least twice that, and I definitely plan to bring my sister with me for our own visit when she comes.
I've linked to their website, and highly recommend a visit to anyone coming to Crete.
In addition to the park, which contains a plethora of plants, flowers, trees and herbs from all over the world (and some critters,too!), there is a very nice restaurant on site which serves fresh, organic, locally grown food and wine. I learned during the wine tasting that they make a white Romeiko, which was heretofore unknown to me. It was quite nice, as was their fresh rose Romeiko (which is blended with grenache) and their oak-aged romeiko, which had a nice port-like quality. The Romeiko grape is used widely in the production of bulk wine on Crete, and is often of very poor quality. This was a refreshing exception.
For lunch we had salad, bread, tzaziki, boureki and a blend of vegetables from the garden called sympetherio (literally translated as "relationship by marriage"). Prior to our walk through the park, the chef demonstrated how to make each dish, and we were permitted to taste some of the individual ingredients that go into each dish, including mint leaves and myzithra cheese.
The price for the entire day was ridiculously low at 10 euros. This event surely was worth at least twice that, and I definitely plan to bring my sister with me for our own visit when she comes.
I've linked to their website, and highly recommend a visit to anyone coming to Crete.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Cooking with Koula Part IV
Today's main dish was a fish called rofus, which at first glance looked like swordfish to me, but which is quite different in texture and flavor. It cooked in the oven with a sauce that had been prepared on the stove, and was accompanied by artichokes in a creamy lemon dill sauce, and a potato parsley puree. Recipes below.In addition to the great food and conversation, Koula had her cousin make me two CD's of Greek and Cretan music, which she gave to me as an early birthday gift. The music is wonderful, and we listened to it while we cooked and ate our meal. I was very touched by this, as the CD's are very well made and it's the only Cretan music I have, even after all this time here! She also gave me a DVD on Crete, which I plan to show back in the US at my first AOC gathering (Greek wine theme) and a really nice little guide to Chania. Oh...and a bunch of sage so I can have it for cooking or with my mountian tea. Thank you, Koula...you're the best!!!
FISH WITH HERBS
6 filets of fresh fish (rofus)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bunch chopped parsley
sliced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
4 green onions, chopped
3 onions, chopped
1 cup white wine
1 cup tomato sauce
thyme, salt & pepper
Saute onions, garlic and parsley in oil for 5 minutes, add salt, pepper, thyme, white wine.Add tomato sauce and cook for about 15 minutes.
Salt and pepper the fish, then pour sauce over the top and cook in the oven for about 30-40 minutes at 180c.
ARTICHOKES
6 fresh artichokes, peeled/cleaned and sliced (keep in water w/ lemon juice to keep from turning brown)
3 green onions
1 bunch of dill
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of three lemons
salt, pepper
1 tbsp flour
2 cups water
Saute onions and dill in olive oil for 5 mintues
Add artichokes, lemon, water, salt and pepper, and the flour mixed with a small amount of water
Cook on med-high for about 30 minutes
POTATO PARSLEY PUREE
Puree potatoes, blend parsley, garlic and lemon juice in blender, add to potato puree along with some salt and a little olive oil, if desired.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Weekend in Sitia
I had long been anticipating last weekend's trip to eastern parts of the island to visit two of my favorite people in Crete, Chantal and Clive. The journey got an earlier than expected start when my friend Vardis invited me to spend Friday night at the Ikaros Beach Village resort in Stalidha, a short distance from Clive's village of Skotino, so that I wouldn't have as long a drive to make on Saturday morning. A big thank you to him for this very thoughtful gesture.
I wouldn't normally choose to stay in a place like this (I prefer smaller, boutique hotels) but I have to admit it was very nice. I arrived before Vardis and killed the time waiting for him with a pedicure in the spa. The resort has three swimming pools, but none of them were heated so I happily let Vardis swim on his own while I took photos. The following morning we enjoyed a big, American style buffet breakfast in the resort's large restaurant, with floor to ceiling glass and beautiful views of the sea and beach. Then to the spa's sauna and indoor pool, and after checking out we stopped in Malia for coffee and ice-cream. We then went our separate ways, Vardis to the west and south to spend the remainder of the weekend at another resort in Plakias, and I just a tad to the west to meet up with Clive at his place for lunch.
I rather badly misinterpreted Clive's directions going through Herssonisos, and stopped at one point to send him an SMS asking for clarification. I noticed a car parked directly in front of me and took the picture below because the name is so close to my own (Mary Kyrstyn). Just thought it was kind of amusing.
I finally arrived in Skotino, a very quiet, old village in the hills near Gouves. Clive is the youngest resident in the village, and we remarked that before long, he'll be the only person living there since the other villagers are quite ancient indeed. Clive bought his house here several years ago, and has done an extraordinary job in fixing it up and decorating. He explained that it's a work in progress, but I think that even as it is now, it's a really beautiful, unique home. He put together a lovely lunch...deviled eggs, English cheddar, ham, potatoes, tomato salad, bread and red wine. I wish I had been able to eat more of it, but I hadn't yet fully digested the ice-cream from earlier. I left him shortly after lunch to continue my journey to the east to Sitia, where Chantal lives. He was in the middle of putting the final touches on his new website, NowHeraklion.com, and planned to join us in Sitia later that evening.
I stopped to take several photographs on the way to Sitia, happy that the weather was so much nicer for this trip than it had been for the last one in September. The drive between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia provides some of the most spectacular views in Crete, and I had to balance my desire to turn my head and gaze at the vistas with the need for attention to the road, which winds and turns almost non-stop the entire way. It was great fun to drive, but when took it again on our way to Spinalonga, with Clive at the wheel and me in the back seat, I found myself car sick for the first time in my life. Clive relinquished the wheel to me on the trip home after seeing Spinalonga, for which I was grateful but perhaps Chantal suffered (she was the back-seat passenger this time).
I was happy to finally make it to Spinalonga, having read the book "The Island" by Victoria Hislop, a fictional historical account of several of the inhabitants of the former leper colony. We took the small fishing vessel that transports visitors from the village of Plaka, and then had a nice lunch at a taverna afterward.
That evening we had dinner at a small taverna that is run by a Dutch woman, and I was really pleased with the food, tasteful decor and comfortable atmosphere. The food varied a bit from the usual taverna fare, with some slightly more exotic flavors and concepts. It seems to be quite popular with the locals, which is always a good sign. There was a football game on the television which several people seemed to take an interest in, but then suddenly the waitress closed the decorative shutters over the screen, presumably because she didn't like the way the game was progressing.
The following morning we had breakfast on Chantal's patio before I set out for my drive home. Unfortunately Chantal's cooking efforts were thwarted by a power cut, but she rallied and put out a very nice spread none the less, minus the eggs which couldn't be cooked on the electric stove-top.
I took a break from driving on my way home by stopping at a small beach near the exit to Fodele, for a coffee and a swim. Then another between Rethymno and Chania, where I met up with Vardis for lunch at a taverna along the National road.
Very nice weekend, I'm so glad I got to see Chantal and Clive one last time before I head back to the States.
I wouldn't normally choose to stay in a place like this (I prefer smaller, boutique hotels) but I have to admit it was very nice. I arrived before Vardis and killed the time waiting for him with a pedicure in the spa. The resort has three swimming pools, but none of them were heated so I happily let Vardis swim on his own while I took photos. The following morning we enjoyed a big, American style buffet breakfast in the resort's large restaurant, with floor to ceiling glass and beautiful views of the sea and beach. Then to the spa's sauna and indoor pool, and after checking out we stopped in Malia for coffee and ice-cream. We then went our separate ways, Vardis to the west and south to spend the remainder of the weekend at another resort in Plakias, and I just a tad to the west to meet up with Clive at his place for lunch.
I rather badly misinterpreted Clive's directions going through Herssonisos, and stopped at one point to send him an SMS asking for clarification. I noticed a car parked directly in front of me and took the picture below because the name is so close to my own (Mary Kyrstyn). Just thought it was kind of amusing.
I finally arrived in Skotino, a very quiet, old village in the hills near Gouves. Clive is the youngest resident in the village, and we remarked that before long, he'll be the only person living there since the other villagers are quite ancient indeed. Clive bought his house here several years ago, and has done an extraordinary job in fixing it up and decorating. He explained that it's a work in progress, but I think that even as it is now, it's a really beautiful, unique home. He put together a lovely lunch...deviled eggs, English cheddar, ham, potatoes, tomato salad, bread and red wine. I wish I had been able to eat more of it, but I hadn't yet fully digested the ice-cream from earlier. I left him shortly after lunch to continue my journey to the east to Sitia, where Chantal lives. He was in the middle of putting the final touches on his new website, NowHeraklion.com, and planned to join us in Sitia later that evening.
I stopped to take several photographs on the way to Sitia, happy that the weather was so much nicer for this trip than it had been for the last one in September. The drive between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia provides some of the most spectacular views in Crete, and I had to balance my desire to turn my head and gaze at the vistas with the need for attention to the road, which winds and turns almost non-stop the entire way. It was great fun to drive, but when took it again on our way to Spinalonga, with Clive at the wheel and me in the back seat, I found myself car sick for the first time in my life. Clive relinquished the wheel to me on the trip home after seeing Spinalonga, for which I was grateful but perhaps Chantal suffered (she was the back-seat passenger this time).
I was happy to finally make it to Spinalonga, having read the book "The Island" by Victoria Hislop, a fictional historical account of several of the inhabitants of the former leper colony. We took the small fishing vessel that transports visitors from the village of Plaka, and then had a nice lunch at a taverna afterward.
That evening we had dinner at a small taverna that is run by a Dutch woman, and I was really pleased with the food, tasteful decor and comfortable atmosphere. The food varied a bit from the usual taverna fare, with some slightly more exotic flavors and concepts. It seems to be quite popular with the locals, which is always a good sign. There was a football game on the television which several people seemed to take an interest in, but then suddenly the waitress closed the decorative shutters over the screen, presumably because she didn't like the way the game was progressing.
The following morning we had breakfast on Chantal's patio before I set out for my drive home. Unfortunately Chantal's cooking efforts were thwarted by a power cut, but she rallied and put out a very nice spread none the less, minus the eggs which couldn't be cooked on the electric stove-top.
I took a break from driving on my way home by stopping at a small beach near the exit to Fodele, for a coffee and a swim. Then another between Rethymno and Chania, where I met up with Vardis for lunch at a taverna along the National road.
Very nice weekend, I'm so glad I got to see Chantal and Clive one last time before I head back to the States.
Koutsamatada Ravine, A Really Old Tree and the Organic Olive Oil Woman
My neighbor Mandy hiked part of the Koutsamatada Gorge while her son and his family were here visiting, but she wanted to explore it further and I was happy to accompany her. We set out in her car at 8:30am to drive the short distance to the head of the trail, and then proceeded to spend almost 7 hours in the gorge. I'm not sure how long it would have taken had we just set about "hiking", but we definitely dawdled along the way, stopping to look at the various flora, take pictures, eat a picnic lunch by the river, and explore a cave. Really nice walk, I hope that the water is still there when my sister (and maybe my dad!) come to visit in a few weeks.
Various landscape shots from our hike.
This is the cave that we found. It was quite a scramble up a hill through some pretty thick brush, but I'm glad our curiosity got the better of us because it was pretty cool. We found a few very old signs of life...a glass lantern hung from one of the rocks, a crucifix hanging in the entry way, and what seemed to be a little shrine of sorts, with a broken mirror, a couple of empty glass bottles, and some animal bones! We named the cave "Fegarri" which means "moon" in Greek (Φεγαρρι) because there was a
full moon scheduled for that night.
After hiking the gorge, we took a short trip up the road to Vlatos to see a very old plane tree, and the woman who runs, along with her daughter, a small organic farm that produces olive oil and other products. The name of the establishment is To Metohi tou Monahoyou (Το Μετοχι Του Μοναχογιου), and they also provide several incredibly atmospheric but tastefully decorated rooms for let, and I would love to stay in one of them some time.
I left with a very expensive but very nice bottle of organic olive oil, and a jar of olives in lemon juice that may be some of the most amazing olives I've tasted.
Various landscape shots from our hike.
This is the cave that we found. It was quite a scramble up a hill through some pretty thick brush, but I'm glad our curiosity got the better of us because it was pretty cool. We found a few very old signs of life...a glass lantern hung from one of the rocks, a crucifix hanging in the entry way, and what seemed to be a little shrine of sorts, with a broken mirror, a couple of empty glass bottles, and some animal bones! We named the cave "Fegarri" which means "moon" in Greek (Φεγαρρι) because there was a
full moon scheduled for that night.
After hiking the gorge, we took a short trip up the road to Vlatos to see a very old plane tree, and the woman who runs, along with her daughter, a small organic farm that produces olive oil and other products. The name of the establishment is To Metohi tou Monahoyou (Το Μετοχι Του Μοναχογιου), and they also provide several incredibly atmospheric but tastefully decorated rooms for let, and I would love to stay in one of them some time.
I left with a very expensive but very nice bottle of organic olive oil, and a jar of olives in lemon juice that may be some of the most amazing olives I've tasted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
