Wherever wine is made, there is a version of Tsipouro to enjoy, a liquor distilled from grape must. Ouzo is also a product of the grape, sweetened and scented with anise and sometimes other herbs. Lesvos is the island for Ouzo and you can bet that octopus is hanging around as well. Retsina, with a splash of soda to soften the bite, is a cool accompaniment to summer meals. Depending on the producer, Retsina ranges from metallic and musty to refreshingly fruity.

Cooking and Dining
There are some nationally recognized cooking and serving techniques that have been passed down through
the ages. Namely, letting the food speak for itself. Fresh fruit and vegetables are enjoyed as they are. They should still look as they did on the plant from which they were plucked. The same applies to the grilled entrée. Whether it is fish, chicken, or meat, it is served simply grilled. Of course, a Greek table would not be replete without simply good bread.

Summer dining in Greece, in general, is an unhurried al fresco affair. The best foods to serve are those that taste good at veranda temperature and can hold up to summertime heat. Dishes are light on the digestive system and full of the flavors of the season. Purees of grilled eggplant, fava bean, split yellow peas or tzatziki, along with olives, bread and a hunk of cheese are sufficient to round off a great meze. Separate little plates of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, marinated beets or sweet red peppers add flare, coolness and texture. Sometimes a single
but lethal hot pepper fried in olive oil appears unexpectedly.

Preferred hot foods (in temperature) are those that can be quickly grilled,
like whole fish or small pieces of meat on a skewer (souvlaki). Some summer dishes are also roasted in an outdoor oven, if you’re lucky enough to have one, or braised during the cool morning temperatures. There are infinite variations of braised vegetables - zucchini, horta, tomato, potato, fresh and dried bean medleys. Aromatic rice is tucked into tomatoes or green peppers, delicate zucchini flowers or grape leaves.

Cultural identity is fueled by cuisine and it deepens as people migrate and strive to hold onto their roots. Cultural-culinary identity is fiercely defended, yet open to interpretation – who defines it and how it travels to your plate. Each farmer, fisherman or cook you meet in your culinary journeys in Greece will have a unique and appetizing story to tell about their local flavors.

Nikki Rose is the founder and director of Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries, an award-winning agrotourism concern.
Please visit her web site at www.cookingincrete.com