Mostra
Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes.
While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular throughout Greece, remain humble. And yet for centuries ‘twice baked’ breads sustained not only the islanders but also the crews of the merchant fleets sailing the Aegean, who found Mykonos to be the best suppliers of naval biscuit. Using two things they had in abundance, wind and brushwood, they turned wheat into flour with their windmills and then turned the flour into twice baked bread (rusks) in their outdoor ovens. (Unlike fresh bread, rusks never go mouldy.)
Mykonos rafiolia
Rafiolia are a common confection in the Cyclades. The Mykonos variation was perfected by the talented local chef Eirini Zouganeli, who kindly provided us with the recipe for the TV presentation of the Greek Breakfast of Mykonos, when rafiolia were chosen as one of the island’s most representative sweets.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Agia Kyriaki festival
The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more
Virgin Mary’s feast on Tragonisi
In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi. The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more
The festivals of Mykonos
My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals. The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more
Mykonos dishes
Mostra Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes. While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more
Mykonos Dairy Factory
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more
Mykonos Louza
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades. On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Traditionally,... Read more
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount of their velvety milk went to Tinos to produce Tinos graviera, but since then the family has reduced their orders since demand for kopanisti has risen so much.
When you visit the Koukas “Mykonos Dairy Factory” at Palaiokastro, you’ll meet the soul of the place, Thodoris, a young man born and brought up on Mykonos. He’s a modest fellow with a cheese-making diploma from the well known school in Ioannina and his parents, Markos and Irini Koukas, are the pillars of the enterprise. In their new accredited cheese plant – where PDO Mykonos kopanisti is produced among other cheeses – you will get an idea of how the ‘new’ enters the modern era while rooted firmly in tradition.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Agia Kyriaki festival
The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more
Virgin Mary’s feast on Tragonisi
In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi. The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more
The festivals of Mykonos
My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals. The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more
Mykonos dishes
Mostra Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes. While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more
Mykonos Dairy Factory
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more
Mykonos Louza
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades. On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Traditionally,... Read more
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades.
On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
Traditionally, the preparation of louza on Mykonos took place at the end of an elaborate ritual, the annual pig slaughter, a beloved festival on the island. Every rural family had a pig and every autumn they would slaughter the animal which they had been feeding all year. At that time experienced butchers would take out the fillets and rub them with a mixture of coarse sea salt and fine salt. After rinsing, they would dry them and season them with lots of savoury and pepper.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Agia Kyriaki festival
The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more
Virgin Mary’s feast on Tragonisi
In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi. The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more
The festivals of Mykonos
My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals. The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more
Mykonos dishes
Mostra Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes. While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more
Mykonos Dairy Factory
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more
Mykonos Louza
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades. On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Traditionally,... Read more
Kopanisti, Mykonos‘ trademark spicy, peppery fermented cheese, has become one of Mykonos’s best known mezedes.
This soft cheese, stored in brine, with its strong taste and creamy texture, which ranges in colour from white to pale beige, is also made on the neighbouring islands of Syros and Tinos from cow’s, ewe’s or goat’s milk or a mixture and has been awarded PDO status as a typical product of the Cyclades.
Kopanisti is produced in the following way: Initially the milk is stirred well with pectin and warmed in a large cauldron. After 24 hours of rest it turns into thick buttermilk, a substance similar to watery yogurt but with a more sour taste. In the next phase the buttermilk is strained for 24 hours in cheesecloth. The resulting soft cheese (tyrobolia) is used in salads, pie and sweets and its flavour and shape are similar to fresh myzithra (a cheese comparable to ricotta). When this ball is salted and kneaded, over and over, with the addition of a little kopanisti from a previous batch, it becomes a new batch of kopanisti (a word that comes from the verb to pound).
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Agia Kyriaki festival
The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more
Virgin Mary’s feast on Tragonisi
In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi. The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more
The festivals of Mykonos
My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals. The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more
Mykonos dishes
Mostra Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes. While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more
Mykonos Dairy Factory
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more
Mykonos Louza
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades. On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Traditionally,... Read more
“Whoever finds the time to stay a few days on the island will taste other joys and other treats and other delicacies. Delicious pork, unique sausages and synglina and louzes, wonderful cheese, kopanisti, and the barley rusk, along with some good wine, in the company of the locals who know and eating and dining well and how to have a good time, buying each other drinks and singing, perhaps because since ancient times the god most worshipped on Mykonos was Dionysos. And today you find him everywhere, in the town, in the port, in the countryside.”
This was how the noted architect Aris Konstantinidis described the island’s gastronomic wealth, after dedicating his time to a poetic appreciation of its architecture. And even if some fifty years have passed since then and tourism and rampant construction have taken over much of the island, the Mykonians continue to be hospital, warm and extremely tolerant of their numerous visitors, while observing their own customs, enjoying themselves and eating the way they always have.
Thus, apart from the gastronomic ambassadors of the island, which are the mild fresh cheese tyrovolia, the peppery kopanisti and the so-called sour cheese (xinotyri), the sweet-scented louza, noumboulo (smoked pork fillet) and mouth-watering sausages, the typical Mykonos mezes, the famous mostra (made with barley rusks, sun-dried tomatoes and kopanisti), there are many more typical dishes that represent the island.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Agia Kyriaki festival
The whole island of Delos – the best preserved ancient city in Greece – has been declared an archaeological site and any visit to it has to conform to certain rules and regulations. No one is permitted to stay on the island in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and spending the night there is even more strictly forbidden, except once a year, on the eve of Agia Kyriaki (Saint Kyriaki)’s day,... Read more
Virgin Mary’s feast on Tragonisi
In just a few lines Michalis Kounenis from Mykonos, known as Babelis, the top bagpipe player of the Cyclades, paints a loving picture of the feast of Tragonisi. The church of the Virgin Mary’s feast day falls on that of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, the 11th of June. Departing from Kalafatis, in half an hour you arrive at a little inlet, somewhat protected from the north wind. Tall cliffs surround... Read more
The festivals of Mykonos
My friends are rendered speechless, those who will listen to me at least, when I tell them that the festivals of Mykonos are among the most vibrant in the Aegean. They can’t grasp that behind the ‘lifestyle’ façade of the island lies authenticity and that the people of Mykonos still value their festivals. The religious character of the festivals of Mykonos does not differ much from that of the other... Read more
Mykonos dishes
Mostra Made of two of its most characteristic products, kopanisti and rusks, Mostra is one of the island’s best known mezedes. While spicy kopanisti was relished only by the locals and a few connoisseurs until recently, the Mykonos Dairy Factory (Tyrokomeio Mykonou) using modern packaging and marketing has succeeded in placing this exotic product in most city supermarkets. Rusks, though popular... Read more
Mykonos Dairy Factory
Kopanisti is made the traditional way by dozens of farmers, who often sell it to individuals or to little grocery stores. However, the island’s only authorized kopanisti cheese maker is the Koukas family who have opened an ultramodern plant at Palaiokastro in Ano Mera, where they use the milk from their herd of cows which is the largest (130 animals) in the Cyclades. Up to 2014 a significant amount... Read more
Mykonos Louza
One of the most interesting of the many Greek preserved meat products is the highly aromatic louza of Mykonos and its variations in the Cyclades. On Mykonos, louza is seasoned solely with allspice and savoury, which makes its taste more robust. On Tinos they use black pepper and an abundance of fennel seeds, while on Syros they make a blend of wine, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Traditionally,... Read more
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment.
Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’ communities where meat eating prevails. Although roasted meat is regarded as the king in their nutrition culture with meat dishes being offered on occasions of both joy and pain, on anniversaries and religious festivals, on weddings and baptisms, intestines and offal are equally coveted and highly regarded dishes.
Intestines and offal make exquisite mezedes (kokoretsi – a rotisserie offal and intestine sausage, frygadelia – liver wrapped in caul fat that is cooked over coals on a skewer, gardoumbes – tiny little intestines) and have been prepared since ancient times throughout the Greek word of that time.
In his work ‘The Knights’ Aristophanes wrote: “Τα έντερα των τετραπόδων χορδάς καλούσι, χορδή γαρ εστί το λεπτόν έντερον, ό ειώθασι πλέκειν οι μάγειροι”, in English “The intestines of the animals with four legs are called stripes, stripes are the thin intestines that cooks used to braid”.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Customs and Festivals of Naxos
Music, dancing with traditional costumes, songs, arts, feasts and festivals are part of the Naxian daily life. The island is famous all over Greece for its rich musical tradition and there are important composers/musicians from Naxos, including Konitopouleoi, Fyrogenides, Stamatonanolides, Vrontogiorgides, Koukoularides, Hatzopouloi. “Kotsakia” (folk poems of two or eight verses that were created... Read more
The mount and cave of Zas
This is the highest peak of Naxos, usually covered with clouds and named Myti of Za (Nose of Zeus). It has namely the name of Zeus and maybe this was also its name in the antiquity, as they used to worship the father of gods on this very mountain. The archaic inscription carved on a rock in the path that leads to the top of the mountain says “Oros Dios Milosiou” (Mountain of Zeus of Milon), which... Read more
Naxos wetlands
The small wetlands, salt marshes and dunes of Naxos are a haven for birds, fish and reptiles. The most important wetland is that of Alyki which comprises a large lake southwest of the airport runway. It is the largest salt lake in the Cyclades and retains enough water. The vegetation includes reeds, aquatic plants and clumps of cedar trees. 166 bird species have been observed and it is enlisted in the protected... Read more
Apaliros castle
This is a very important castle, built on a steep hill in the fields of Sangri and Agiassos. According to researchers, it took its name after the abundant “apaliries”, a kind of bush that sprouts there. It was erected in the first years of the Byzantine era, though probably there was already a fortification in the antiquity, because part of the wall is prehistoric. It was abandoned in the 13th... Read more
Naxos towers
Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island. They have been built by feudal Venetians in particular (and other Latin nobles) who used them as a base to exploit the real estate of the field they held. Their defensive line included battlements, murder holes, turrets, huge doors and small windows to protect the defenders. They were made of stone and had many floors and thick walls. Bazeos... Read more
Gardoumia
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment. Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’... Read more
A landscape of riotously grown plane trees, flowing springs and small vegetable groves and vineyards growing supported by dry-stone walls is the scenery housing the village of Komiaki in Naxos built in amphitheatric fashion at 550 above sea level overlooking the Icarian Sea. The village had 2,000 inhabitants in the past but nowadays, it only counts 500.
The precious little religious fete (panigyri) in the honor of the two saints is celebrated in front of two one-aisled vaulted small churches, built one next to the other. The church with an orientation at the north is dedicated to Zoodochos Pigi (Virgin Mary, the Live-giving Spring) and the one with an orientation at the south to Agios Konstantinos and Agia Eleni. The religious festival is held at just 2 km away from the village, on the side of the rural road, on a clearing resembling to a village square that is protected under the leafage of four gigantic plane trees.
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Customs and Festivals of Naxos
Music, dancing with traditional costumes, songs, arts, feasts and festivals are part of the Naxian daily life. The island is famous all over Greece for its rich musical tradition and there are important composers/musicians from Naxos, including Konitopouleoi, Fyrogenides, Stamatonanolides, Vrontogiorgides, Koukoularides, Hatzopouloi. “Kotsakia” (folk poems of two or eight verses that were created... Read more
The mount and cave of Zas
This is the highest peak of Naxos, usually covered with clouds and named Myti of Za (Nose of Zeus). It has namely the name of Zeus and maybe this was also its name in the antiquity, as they used to worship the father of gods on this very mountain. The archaic inscription carved on a rock in the path that leads to the top of the mountain says “Oros Dios Milosiou” (Mountain of Zeus of Milon), which... Read more
Naxos wetlands
The small wetlands, salt marshes and dunes of Naxos are a haven for birds, fish and reptiles. The most important wetland is that of Alyki which comprises a large lake southwest of the airport runway. It is the largest salt lake in the Cyclades and retains enough water. The vegetation includes reeds, aquatic plants and clumps of cedar trees. 166 bird species have been observed and it is enlisted in the protected... Read more
Apaliros castle
This is a very important castle, built on a steep hill in the fields of Sangri and Agiassos. According to researchers, it took its name after the abundant “apaliries”, a kind of bush that sprouts there. It was erected in the first years of the Byzantine era, though probably there was already a fortification in the antiquity, because part of the wall is prehistoric. It was abandoned in the 13th... Read more
Naxos towers
Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island. They have been built by feudal Venetians in particular (and other Latin nobles) who used them as a base to exploit the real estate of the field they held. Their defensive line included battlements, murder holes, turrets, huge doors and small windows to protect the defenders. They were made of stone and had many floors and thick walls. Bazeos... Read more
Gardoumia
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment. Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’... Read more
The wood-fired bakery of Velonis in Naxos
Velonis Bakery (O Fournos tou Veloni) in the Chora of Naxos gives a courageous battle against developing trends and is one of those few bakeries left still making bread, delighting locals and travellers with the splendid smell of freshly baked bread spreading all around the neighbourhood.
Wood-fired bakeries are becoming more and more scarce on the islands of the Cyclades.
Little by little, the taste of the fluffy loaf of bread is vanishing.
The people behind bread making, the bakers, are also gradually becoming extinct together with their values and behaviour, synonym of another era.
Daily interaction with customers had forged a true sense of humanitarian behaviour in them and made them wiser.
“The store which has been operating as a bakery since 1922 was sold to my father in 1950 against 15,000 Greek drachmas. Fire was lit with brushwood – everyone was using brushwood at the time – that was then carried into the over to heat the stones. It was in 1955 that my father turned the oven into a wood-lit one. Being a baker is no easy job; bakers turn night into day. Don’t be fooled by what you see now in the summer that the restaurants are open and the tourists are here; in winter, we have difficulty winning our bread”, says kyr Nikos Velonis (kyr, added before the name of an old men, is a way to salute or address him in a respectful way, informal word).
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Customs and Festivals of Naxos
Music, dancing with traditional costumes, songs, arts, feasts and festivals are part of the Naxian daily life. The island is famous all over Greece for its rich musical tradition and there are important composers/musicians from Naxos, including Konitopouleoi, Fyrogenides, Stamatonanolides, Vrontogiorgides, Koukoularides, Hatzopouloi. “Kotsakia” (folk poems of two or eight verses that were created... Read more
The mount and cave of Zas
This is the highest peak of Naxos, usually covered with clouds and named Myti of Za (Nose of Zeus). It has namely the name of Zeus and maybe this was also its name in the antiquity, as they used to worship the father of gods on this very mountain. The archaic inscription carved on a rock in the path that leads to the top of the mountain says “Oros Dios Milosiou” (Mountain of Zeus of Milon), which... Read more
Naxos wetlands
The small wetlands, salt marshes and dunes of Naxos are a haven for birds, fish and reptiles. The most important wetland is that of Alyki which comprises a large lake southwest of the airport runway. It is the largest salt lake in the Cyclades and retains enough water. The vegetation includes reeds, aquatic plants and clumps of cedar trees. 166 bird species have been observed and it is enlisted in the protected... Read more
Apaliros castle
This is a very important castle, built on a steep hill in the fields of Sangri and Agiassos. According to researchers, it took its name after the abundant “apaliries”, a kind of bush that sprouts there. It was erected in the first years of the Byzantine era, though probably there was already a fortification in the antiquity, because part of the wall is prehistoric. It was abandoned in the 13th... Read more
Naxos towers
Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island. They have been built by feudal Venetians in particular (and other Latin nobles) who used them as a base to exploit the real estate of the field they held. Their defensive line included battlements, murder holes, turrets, huge doors and small windows to protect the defenders. They were made of stone and had many floors and thick walls. Bazeos... Read more
Gardoumia
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment. Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’... Read more
Kitron Naxou is a liqueur obtained by the distillation of pure alcohol in traditional copper stills. The leaves of the citron tree (citrus medica, kitria in Greek), reach in essential oils with a strong aroma, are the raw ingredient used in the distillation process and were originally used by wine growers in the distillation of raki. On the island of Naxos, the cultivation of citron trees dates back to the 17th century. In 1896 in Chalki, a village at the central semi-mountainous part of Naxos, Markos Vallindras founded a distilled spirits plant – distillery, which bears his name until nowadays (“Vallindras Distillery“), that began its first exports in 1928. Citron leaves are collected between October and February and then they are distilled. In Naxos, apart from the liqueur, the citron fruit comes also as a spoon sweet, one of the sweets in the Greek cuisine.
The Kitron Naxou liqueur is available in three versions; the yellow Kitron Naxou liqueur (with 36% alcohol content and no sugar), the white Kitron Naxou liqueur (with 33% alcohol content and low sugar content, Naxiots’ preferred choice) and the green one (with 30% alcohol content and a higher sugar content). Bear in mind that the citron liqueur is considered to favour digestion!
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Customs and Festivals of Naxos
Music, dancing with traditional costumes, songs, arts, feasts and festivals are part of the Naxian daily life. The island is famous all over Greece for its rich musical tradition and there are important composers/musicians from Naxos, including Konitopouleoi, Fyrogenides, Stamatonanolides, Vrontogiorgides, Koukoularides, Hatzopouloi. “Kotsakia” (folk poems of two or eight verses that were created... Read more
The mount and cave of Zas
This is the highest peak of Naxos, usually covered with clouds and named Myti of Za (Nose of Zeus). It has namely the name of Zeus and maybe this was also its name in the antiquity, as they used to worship the father of gods on this very mountain. The archaic inscription carved on a rock in the path that leads to the top of the mountain says “Oros Dios Milosiou” (Mountain of Zeus of Milon), which... Read more
Naxos wetlands
The small wetlands, salt marshes and dunes of Naxos are a haven for birds, fish and reptiles. The most important wetland is that of Alyki which comprises a large lake southwest of the airport runway. It is the largest salt lake in the Cyclades and retains enough water. The vegetation includes reeds, aquatic plants and clumps of cedar trees. 166 bird species have been observed and it is enlisted in the protected... Read more
Apaliros castle
This is a very important castle, built on a steep hill in the fields of Sangri and Agiassos. According to researchers, it took its name after the abundant “apaliries”, a kind of bush that sprouts there. It was erected in the first years of the Byzantine era, though probably there was already a fortification in the antiquity, because part of the wall is prehistoric. It was abandoned in the 13th... Read more
Naxos towers
Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island. They have been built by feudal Venetians in particular (and other Latin nobles) who used them as a base to exploit the real estate of the field they held. Their defensive line included battlements, murder holes, turrets, huge doors and small windows to protect the defenders. They were made of stone and had many floors and thick walls. Bazeos... Read more
Gardoumia
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment. Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’... Read more
Emmanuel Vas. Koufopoulos
Driven by the long tradition of cheese making in his island and utilizing the technological advances as a stepping stone, Manolis V. Koufopoulos, a cheese maker from Naxos, founded in 1990 his dairy farm in the area of Agios Isidoros, at Galanados village, in Naxos. The Dairy Farm of Em. Koufopoulos “Naxos Cheese-Making Industry”, despite its small-scale production as compared to the one of the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Naxos, is famed not only for its excellent graviera cheeses (either fresh or two, three or five year aged), which have nothing to envy from the Italian parmesan cheese, but also for its thorough and continuous experimentations on new and traditional cheeses that have won many distinctions and awards.
Apart from graviera (a cheese made with a combination of cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk), arseniko (a cheese made with a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk), xynomyzithra (a cheese produced from either sheep’s or goat’s whey), xynotyri (it is the same as xynomyzithra except that it is allowed to dry for several weeks until it is hard), myzithra (a whey cheese made with whole milk) and anthotyro (a lightly salted cheese made with fresh whey), the most representative cheeses of Naxos, the Dairy Farm’s product range also includes graviera made from 100% goat milk, ladotyri (cheese preserved in olive oil), stachtotyri (a smoked cheese resembling a lot to the hard, smoked metsovone cheese from Epirus), melanotyri (hard cheese matured in the lees at the bottom of the wine barrel) and the famous krasotyri (a wine-soaked cheese).
Μore at Greek Gastronomy Guide…
Source: www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
Customs and Festivals of Naxos
Music, dancing with traditional costumes, songs, arts, feasts and festivals are part of the Naxian daily life. The island is famous all over Greece for its rich musical tradition and there are important composers/musicians from Naxos, including Konitopouleoi, Fyrogenides, Stamatonanolides, Vrontogiorgides, Koukoularides, Hatzopouloi. “Kotsakia” (folk poems of two or eight verses that were created... Read more
The mount and cave of Zas
This is the highest peak of Naxos, usually covered with clouds and named Myti of Za (Nose of Zeus). It has namely the name of Zeus and maybe this was also its name in the antiquity, as they used to worship the father of gods on this very mountain. The archaic inscription carved on a rock in the path that leads to the top of the mountain says “Oros Dios Milosiou” (Mountain of Zeus of Milon), which... Read more
Naxos wetlands
The small wetlands, salt marshes and dunes of Naxos are a haven for birds, fish and reptiles. The most important wetland is that of Alyki which comprises a large lake southwest of the airport runway. It is the largest salt lake in the Cyclades and retains enough water. The vegetation includes reeds, aquatic plants and clumps of cedar trees. 166 bird species have been observed and it is enlisted in the protected... Read more
Apaliros castle
This is a very important castle, built on a steep hill in the fields of Sangri and Agiassos. According to researchers, it took its name after the abundant “apaliries”, a kind of bush that sprouts there. It was erected in the first years of the Byzantine era, though probably there was already a fortification in the antiquity, because part of the wall is prehistoric. It was abandoned in the 13th... Read more
Naxos towers
Today about 30 towers are preserved in the countryside of the island. They have been built by feudal Venetians in particular (and other Latin nobles) who used them as a base to exploit the real estate of the field they held. Their defensive line included battlements, murder holes, turrets, huge doors and small windows to protect the defenders. They were made of stone and had many floors and thick walls. Bazeos... Read more
Gardoumia
Gardoumia is a special meze from lamb intestines that is made on the island of Naxos, just like in Crete; besides, the strong connections between the two islands are well-known. Meze holds a special place in the Greek culinary tradition and could be described as an appetizer, a treat to share with friends in a relaxed environment. Gardoumia is a popular dish among mountain and pastoral farming/shepherds’... Read more