“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
