KALI OREXI! CRETAN FOOD

Cretan Raki. Holidays in Kato Gouves, Crete, GreeceCrete Island is famous for its tasty and absolutely healthy cuisine. The traditional Cretan food has a kind of legendary status among nutritionists because of the Seven Countries Study showing that Cretan men dad exceptionally low death rates from heart disease as a result of the diet and lifestyle.

The culinary structure of the Cretan Diet emerges from the combinations of the basic native ingredients that the island produced and Crete´s invaders that influenced the food throughout the centuries (e.g. Byzantine time - honey in sweet and savory dishes; Turkish spices as sesame seeds, cinnamon). The result is a quite simple but wholesome nutrition: lots of fruit, vegetables, wild greens, whole grains and pulses — the dried seeds of legumes such as lentils, beans and peas, very little cheese, milk, eggs, meat and fish conusmption.

Holidays on Crete, Greek island, GreeceAs the island produces olives in abundance, the Cretans eat a lot of olive oil — more than other Mediterranean people. And they don't use any other type of oil, even to make sweets. The food is accompanied by genuine Cretan wine found in different local variations. Another characteristic local drink is "raki" or "tsikoudia", a strong alcoholic drink made of grapes.

 

BASICS OF CRETAN DIET

If you want to change your nutrition to the healthy Cretan Diet, follow these basics:

  • mainly food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables (Spinach, Eggplant, Courgette, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Peppers, Mushrooms, Garlic, Capers Beans), potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds (Almonds, walnuts and other nuts; Chick peas, white beans, lentils and other beans; Peanuts).
  • Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally grown foods (which often maximizes the health-promoting micronutrient and antioxidant content of these foods).
  • Olive oil as the principal fat, replacing other fats and oils (including butter and margarine).
  • Regular physical activity at a level which promotes a healthy weight, fitness and well-being.
  • Wine: moderate consumption, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.
  • Fresh fruit: daily as dessert. In general limit sweets with a significant amount of sugar and saturated fat.
  • use herbs to flavour the food
  • daily consumption of yoghurt and cheese (low to moderate amount)
  • Eggs: maximum four servings per week.
  • Fish and poultry: low to moderate consumption per week
  • Red meat (veal, lamb): limited to a few times or just one time per month.

CRETAN MEALS & DISHES

In Kato and Pano Gouves you will find tavernas which serve traditional Cretan dishes, "mezedes" (titbits). The food is accompanied by genuine Cretan wine found in different local variations. Another characteristic local drink is "raki" or "tsikoudia", a strong alcoholic drink made of choice grapes.

BREAKFAST

Cretan breakfast: feta cheese, paxsimadia (dried bread), olives, hard boiled egg, and the famous Greek coffee.

Loukoumades: Greek style doughnuts with honey-syrup

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LUNCH / DINNER:

In the evening one will be presented with a selection of meze, a variety of appetizing little dishes that might be the entirety of the meal. Other food, such as stifado (stew) or grilled meats will arrive at the table haphazardly as they are finished. Being an island, Crete is renowned for its fish dishes which are usually grilled or made into a stew.

SOUPS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SALADS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEZE (starters)

  • local olives and cheeseDolmades - stuffed wine leaves - holidays on Crete - Greece
  • Dakos: it is a snack made of barley bread, sprinkled with water and olive oil, topped small pieces of tomato, garlic and onion, and feta cheese.
  • Fava: mushed broad beans with onions and olive oil
  • Tsatziki: The famous cucumber dip with joghurt and garlic that goes with everything.
  • Tyropita: A delicious, cheese filled pastry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Local Main Dishes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DESSERTS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GREEK FAST FOOD

Gyros Pita - Greek Fast Food, holidays on CreteSouvlaki and Gyros - THE greek fast food. Take a stroll around in Kato Gouves and you'll soon spot the fast food outlets, souvlaki shops, small eateries that also serve gyros and other grilled meat dishes.

If you order your souvlaki or gyros you will be asked: “me ola” (with everything), meaning with tomato, yoghourt and onions. Of course you can order to your taste with ketchup etc.

 

At the souvlaki shop you can buy food to take away and eat on the street or sit in the shop and enjoy it at your leisure. Nearly every shop has a delivery service within Gouves.

Another tasty fast food is Crepa - Crepes with sweet or savoury fillings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Contact / About us / Links / See you soon in Kato Gouves!