It’s all about the seasonal foods.
If available in the fresh fish market,
Chef Siozopoulos favors saddled seabream (melanouria), red sea bream (lithrinia) and red mullet (koutsomoures). His shopping list includes lots of fresh herbs like chervil and the herb kaukalithra that give his pies and sauces an exotic summer flavor. In his summer menu, he also banishes heavy meat dishes with rich sauces
in favor of a light chicken dish prepared with creamy Greek yoghurt,
Chios masticha and fennel.
His desserts follow Thanasis’ general philosophy: keep it light, keep it seasonal and keep it interesting. He serves a cold mousse made from soft anthotyro cheese and fresh figs boiled in red wine with sugar, cinnamon and clove. Anthotyro is a wonderful light summer cheese and often called Greek cream cheese because of its taste. It is, however, more granular in texture. It is traditionally used as a dessert or table cheese or as an ingredient in stuffed
pies (pitas). It pairs well with fresh fruits, such as figs, pears, and apples.
He tells me that everything depends on the cook’s good spirits, and on the freshness and quality of the raw materials that he can obtain. It is this freshness factor that creates the genuine crisp taste that characterizes Greek culinary tradition at its best. Greek summer means light food and various smart meze plates – accompanied by the ultimate summer drinks - iced Ouzo and Tsipouro. Most importantly, it means enjoying one’s dinner in the company of
good friends.
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Giantes: Organic Garden
Chef Giorgos Polatidis
Exarhia is an interesting area in the heart of the city, between the National Archaeological Museum and the slopes of Lycabetus Hill. It is a neighborhood of trendy bars, bohemians, artists and students . In the midst of a busy street behind high walls, Giantes hides a magical patio. It is there, under tall trees that cast a perfect, natural shadow,
that one can enjoy Giorgios Polatidis’ nouveau Greek cuisine. The food he prepares and the wines he serves
are made almost entirely from
organic ingredients.
For the Greek-Australian Chef Giorgos Polatidis, who has honed his culinary skills in Sidney and Canberra,
Greek summer food means light dishes, fast preparation and intensive flavors. Fish and seafood dominate his menu, followed by salads and Greek Mediterranean vegetables prepared either as ladera (stewed seasonal vegetables in olive oil) or stuffed with delicious fillings like rice, raisins, herbs and pine nuts. Pies with homemade phyllo filled with fresh tomatoes and caramelized onions, or fresh aubergines, or any fresh, seasonal vegetable,
also rank high on his menu.
Giorgos also features a rich “carte du jour”. His inspiration depends on what’s available and fresh in the still limited certified Greek organic market.
In Greece, he found a “new playground” regarding the available raw materials that are blessed by nature, and he became
a purist. He avoids fusing Asian, Australian and Greek cuisines.
His dishes are straightforward and traditional Greek – no long extravagant descriptions. His cuisine concentrates on the authentic, natural taste of simple,
but exquisite Greek organic ingredients.
The pork meat he uses is free range from the mountainous Peloponnesus.
His sardines and bonito fillets are from Mytilene. Wild artichokes and stamnagkathi are ordered from Crete. His olive oil is, of course, organic and as for the bread, he makes it himself.
When asked what his favorite Greek summer dish is, Giorgos is reluctant to answer. “There are so many”, he exhales. We agree that he can name a few. “Fish definitely”, he starts keeping it general. Then he settles on bonito fillet with fennel, fresh lemon and wild rice and grilled octopus caramelized with honey and mavrodaphne a ‘divinely’ sweet, fortified wine also used for Holy Communion.
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