September 2017, Issue No. 9 www.cretepost.gr
the RETHYMNO POST
Reach thousands of readers every month
your monthly independent free newspaper of Rethymno
your local FREE newspaper Offering a selection of local interest articles, interviews, news and ther views from around the region of Rethymno and Western Crete
With a local services section, a range of advertisers and pages of free classfieds, Rethymno Post is an essential resource for anyone living in or just visiting this area
The oldest traditional cafĂŠ in Anogeia, lying hidden amidst two mulberry trees All you have to know if you plan a visit to the Monastery of Arkadi
Vacation in September?
Once you live it , you won’t leave it!!!
Rethymno POST
Your local free paper by FTP Publications 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania, 73100 Tel. +30 6977 295075 Owner/Publisher: FTP Publlications Web: http://www.cretepost.gr E-mail: info@ftp-publications.gr FB: http://www.facebook.com/chaniapost Twitter: @chaniapost Editors: Pandelis Giaitsis, Pandelis Spiridakis, Miltiades Markatos, Petros Marinakis, Giorgos Atsalakis, Stavros Tsihlis, Katerina Polizou. Advertising: FTP Publications 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania Tel. +30 6977295075 http://www.ftp-publications.gr DTP: FTP Publications Printed in:
Rethymno photo of the month...
p. 2
editorial
Live @ Love @ Laugh
Life -sharing ...is - you bet – an enjoying experience by Pandelis Spiridakis to welcome & Journalist celebrate autumn...Are you ready Automnistas? Saved by the September bell... time to unpack bags and discover the autumn joy! You really believed that home coming in Crete is another boring routine? No way my man ...Keep your spirit open and ready! Hey guys , don’t you even spell the ... Have a nice winter thing...it drives people crazy at work! Cause leaving is a piece of cake, but coming back ( oh good lord!) Don’t look photos, don’t pick summer songs , cocktails ...delete everything!
Recipe Ingrediets : good company, nice momets and optimistic energy. Besides we don’t need an exotic place to enjoy life.... Otherwise good guys go everywhere Silly guys pay everywhere And Stubborn guys lose everywhere... Ok , yes it is...still a month with touristic interest, but it carries a returning This is really charming if you really think about it ...who isn’t fed up with walks, tourings & summer stuff? It’s time to settle down and feel domesticated. That thing “Home, sweet home”... or better Done with your season ...arrange EVEN NOW your ideal holidays! And life in Crete is fulfilled with that : sheep haircut, harvest , making raki & wine.
I love this philosophy, the Cretan people had, every single different season they had something to do ...in a celebrational way. They meet at the neighbour’s yard, they help, they make fun and finally they eat all together and sing. Such a wonderful but mainly wise built life. These Cretan customs bring people together... Being there at a sheep haircut is the perfect thing to live. And I lived it in my village Pigi in Rethimno , going at my uncle’s Titos animals with my cousins! Superb!!! The farmer invites friends & relatives to help and in the end he treats food and wine , celebrating the animal’s haircut. In some villages of Crete they use to – not sell – but just exchange with peddler dealers the wool with the goods they sell. And then we go to grape harvesting people.
They all get into the stone winepress and they get the Grape juice. They transfer it to raki cauldron & distilleries and every family gets the raki or wine for the homeuse. This is custom story and really important celebration for every family in Crete, a chance to open their house, invite their friends, celebrate the goods they get from the animals and the products of the nature. And they always welcome their visitors in the best way : they light grills, put on meat and have lots of red wine to drink. The Same For Us Guys : Automnistas style - open your house, invite your friends, celebrate the goods you have! ..cause sharing Is that Makes The Living ....GREAT!!! Live it ...in your own September... Despacito everybody ...it’s my new slogan! (just means , Go get it)
Summer dream in Crete begins at... Rethymno Cretan yacht welcomes you
p. 4
news & articles
welcomes you on SUMMER DREAM for an unforgettable experience. The freedom of movement, the quality of service, the comfort of your surroundings and your privacy make your holidays a unique and enjoyable experience. SUMMER DREAM is a 24,15 m boat and provides a master stateroom with a double bed and a sofa, one twin stateroom and two triple staterooms, a kitchen, a mail saloon, a generous sun deck and n o of course a well equiclick news tepost.gr e r o e /cr ped cockpit. for m http:/ We offer a wide range of services: • dinning on board afloat • fishing • weddings or any other special events • chartering from one day to ten days Santorini We welcome you with a light dinner and then you can enjoy your sleep in our convenient cabins. Our departure is at 3.30 a.m. You wake up on Santorini and have breakfast on board. Then your day is Free For Fun. Our departure is after sunset!!! And don’t forget... A holiday on SUMMER DREAM is an experience like no other vacation can offer you!!! Email : kfetokakis@gmail.com Τelephone : 6979115533
Sinatsakis Villas
Paradise in... Rethymno When anyone dream of ide-
al vacation, the picture that emerges in the mind is that of a independent villa. Of course there are advantages and disadvantages of living in an independent villa.
p. 6
news & articles
ADVANTAGES OF AN INDEPENDENT VILLA: An independent villa provides you greater degree of freedom. • Ability to enjoy and schedule the house-programme as per your wish. • Future modification of on k c li c s exteriors as per the lat.gr re new epost for mo ttp://cret h est trends and wishes. • If you have keen interest in gardening then you would have a space to build on your interest or grow your pets. • More privacy with no more problems with regard to sound sweepage. DISADVANTAGES OF INDEPENDENT VILLA:Non Existed , Synatsakis Villas ARE here to prove the Difference and the Quality in the Details... Call us...+30 6970820714
Passionate travellers who crave to discover the true soul of the places they visit and who seek to enrich their journeys with indelible experiences would hardly consider the typical hotel accommodation options. Staying at a villa instantly transforms plain tourists into sophisticated life connoisseurs who approach each destination as a unique opportunity to expand their horizons. Mail us ...sinatsakisvillas@yahoo.com Sinatsakis villas are located in Pigi village, only 1.9 km away from the long sandy beach of Rethymno. “Pigi” is one of the biggest villages in Rethymno with great history. Staying in Pigi village you will be able to find almost everything that you might need in a walking distance!
The village has taverns, mini market, bakeries, cafeterias and a pharmacy. Also very close to the villa (3 - 5 km) are the well known tourist areas of “Platanias” and “Adelianos Kampos” with many organised beaches, night clubs, big market and restaurants. People who value the privacy and intimacy of a home away
their exact travel expectations. In fact, over time, The Villas have been ideal havens for various types of guests: Families reuniting under the same roof in a relaxed, children friendly atmosphere; Couples staging romantic escapes; Friends sharing lifetime experiences. Villa Anna,Villa Maria or...Villa Ioanna
on hand with helpful advice and information whenever it is needed. The owners have a wide knowledge of the island and will be only to willing to suggest places of interest and routes to get there. The Cretan landscape, rough and unspoiled, holds a predominant role, but still travellers have options that vary from the serenity of a private cape, miles away from civilization, to the convenience of houses on the sea front just a stone’s throw from the bustling local community with shops, cafes and restaurants within easy reach. Find us...Pigi, Rethymno Nevertheless, in less than two thoughts, you will realise that although you have not automatically become a true islander, you will certainly feel like one. And that is the essence of The Villas’ experience that will from home indulge in the luxu- The hospitality of the own- lure you back to Synatsakis Vilry of a Cretan villa regardless of er and his family who will be las over and over again.
Rethymno Travel
Α Mystic Treasure ...is The Must Stop RODAKINO Village Two small villages, Epano &
p. 8
news & articles
Kato (Upper & Lower) Rodakino halfway from Plakias to Frangokastelo, overlooking the bay of Korakas. Rodakino is 42 kms from Rethimnon, 27 kms from Hora Sfakion and 13 kms from Fragokastello. The small village of Rodakino (Peach) is situated 43 km south of Rethymno town and close to Plakias village. It is the ideal place for relaxon s click w e n e r r ation. All beaches here for mo retepost.g /c http:/ are quite isolated with no facilities and other amenities. They are all very isolated, non-organized and offer a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Rodakino is surrounded by small beaches some of them accessible only by foot, were visitors can isolate themselves from any trace of civilization.
There are some small hotels and rooms to rent available and a couple of tavernas. The road to Rodakino is asphalt paved and there is a bus service to Rodakino from Rethimnon twice a day. In the village the visitor can find a taxi station, and a gasoline station. A doctor is available for medical emergencies on the village of Plakias approximately 15 kms from Rodakino. Rodakino played its own part during the eons, in the fighting of the Cretans against all the invaders. The village was totally destroyed during the Venetian occupation, with only one resident escaping to Peloponnese in Greece . Years after the destruction he returned to the site of the village, and he rebuilt it. In Kourkoylo one of the quarters of the village the first rising of the flag of the revolution
against the Turks was raised on May 24th 1821. During the second World War the kidnapped German general Craipe was sent away from
sea, beyond the east end of the beach, where pigeons nest. These caves are amazingly beautiful with arches, huge boulders and tiny sandy
the bay of Korakas to the Middle East. Close by is the beach Peristeres (Doves). The name Peristeres means Pigeons in Greek,. This is taken after the nice caves in the
beaches formed around. There is an aquarium-like sea bottom where you must snorkel! To get here you can either follow the paved road from Polirizos to the west and then turn left on the first dirt road you’ll
meet or drive in the 4km dirt road that connects Lakki (near Skaloti village) with Polirizos. You can also walk in the path that crosses Kastelos from Polirizos The German general Heinrich Kreipe was moved to Egypt from this beach. Kreipe was the general commander of land forces of “Fortress Crete”- Festung Kreta. He was abducted in Heraklion by two British officers and Cretan resistance fighters. Hunted by German patrols, the group moved across the mountains to reach the southern side of the island, where a British Motor Launch picked them up on 14 May 1944. This historic abduction has been characterized as one of the most difficult and bolder operations of the Second World War that made Hitler furious. Kreipe handcuffs are still kept by a resident of Rodakino. Moreover, allied submarines and destroyers, used this bay for bringing supplies for the fight against the Germans.
The oldest traditional café in Anogeia, lying hidden amidst two mulberry trees O nce in Anogeia, the
p. 10
news & articles
famed village of Crete nested at the foothills of mount Psiloritis, look to your right. Try spotting the kafeneio (traditional coffee house) “I Platia tou Syntagmatos” (The Constitution Square) of Grylios, possibly the oldest traditional café in Anogeia, lying hidden amidst two mulberry trees. Inside the kafeneio, n click o news .gr e r o two large eye-catchfor m retepost /c http:/ ing photos of the café owner, Michalos Skoulas, the one taken forty years ago and the other one quite recently, prevail encircled by many other smaller photos and newspaper extracts on the history of Skoulas family and the history of Anogeia. During German Occupation, when the village of Anogeia was the cradle of the Cretan resistance movement, the abduction of German General Heinrich Kreipe in August 1944 lead to the issuance of an instruction to raze the village to the ground and to execute all men that were to be found on site at the time of the attack. Houses were exploded with dynamite and others set on fire; approximately 800 houses were totally destroyed and turned into absolute ruins. Six women were burned, eight men were executed and eighty elderly were arrested. The photos mounted on the wall illustrate all these stories and the participation of the family of Skoulas in the resistance, sacrificing their blood on the altar of their homeland’s freedom. Under the dense shadow of the mulberry tree, elderly masculine men from Anogeia in an upright posture, wearing either a beard or a moustache, dressed in their black Cretan shirts with the traditional kerchief edged with a fringe of tiny little knots wrapped around their head, drink their raki. The memory of the owner Michalos, who passed away in his nineties, is still fresh in the memory of everyone. www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
INDICATIVE DESTINATIONS FROM RETHYMNON TO:
your n i e c i o h c e The reliabl tations r o p s n a r t r summe
Scan the QR code to book online your ticket !
CHANIA HERAKLION BALI ARKADI PREVELI CHORA SFAKION AGIA GALINI CHANIA AIRPORT ELEFTHERNA MUSEUM www.e-ktel.com email: info@e-ktel.gr
Kydonias & Parth. Kelaidi, Chania 73100 Kefalogiannidon Street, Rethymnon 74100 Info: 2821 093052 |Storehouse : 28210 97497 Info: 2831 022785 |Storehouse : 2831 022659
6,80 8,30 3,80 3,10 5,00 8,00 6,80 8,00 3,30
€ € € € € € € € €
Vacation in September?
Once you live it , you won’t leave it!!! There’s no better time to take
an exotic vacation than from September ...It is so different but equally fascinating.
The Weather Our mild winters mean that there’s never really a bad time to visit, but September is when Mother Nature really hits her stride. It’s that perfect middle point when there is no need for a sweater, but also no sweltering, unbearable heat. The Seafood Fresh seafood year round is our thing, and the deliciousness available in September is no exception. This month, you’ll find lots of goodness on the menus of your favorite dining spots, but fresh fishes are all our favorites, and, although the seasonal menus rotate, you can generally find everything. Best paired with a local beer and a waterfront table.
n click o news tepost.gr e r o /cre for m http:/
foodie & wino glory The quality and the variety is a premier wine & food festival featuring demonstrations from renowned chefs, cuisine and wine tasting tents, plus live and silent auctions.
Fewer crowds just mean more room to spread out, play your music a little louder, and we haven’t even started talking about cool roads courses, yet (we tell you all about them here).
No Crowds Although the beaches are always pretty full, September ofThe Wine fers a better relaxation. Wine novices & enthusiasts You’ll see more locals than touralike can rejoice in all of the ists on our sugar-white shores.
Savings The peak for pricing is during the summer season, so nowadays the chances to save money are becoming more , offering you the joy to spend slower
and longer!!! As much of the world is wrapped up with back-to-school season, travelers should take advantage of crisp fall weather and great deals around the world. There are plenty of fall deals to be found if you plan ahead— why wait for the holidays? If you need more inspiration for your next vacation, take a look at the Rethymno September Magic.
Othonas’ Tavern
p. 14
news & articles
A passion for creativity with love for the Cretan cuisine Othonas,
a taverna where you can experience THE perfect dining experience, is located in one of the most scenic spots of Rethymno next to the fountains and Minare. Othonas combines a passion for creativity with love for the Cretan cuisine to create delicious dishes in an atmosphere of genuine warmth and hospitality. The restaurant is very clean and tidy, beautifully decorated with traditional items bringing
nostalgic memories of the old Rethymno. It is located in the old city of Rethymno, near the Minaret. You will be surprised looking the menu and for sure you will want to try all dishes! With imagination and faith in the quality, serves you everything you want to eat; meat, seafood, pastas and delicious sweets! All people absolutely loved his fresh Greek salads, appetizers including dolmades (rice stuffed grape leaves) and
kolokithia (zucchini fritters). The meat dishes were hearty and delicious including his chicken in sauce and a soft, melt-off-the-bone lamb and Greek potatoes platter. • Titou Petichaki Square 27, Old Town Rethymnon; +30 211 7909399 This the only destination you can really live the pure smell , taste and cooking of the Local Products : cretan cheese , fresh
meat , local veggies cooked and served from the unique chef Othonas ...from his own hands you can have the best taste from Rethymno...the taste you will memorise in your company talking. Cause that’s Rethymno: the right person, the right cretan recipe in the right Old Town table Such a combination to remember...
Swimming with the horse in the beach of Plakias Definitely an unforgettable
p. 16
news & articles
experience! The stables are located in Damnoni, Plakias in a six-hectare area, just 30 Km (25 min driving time) away from the city of Rethimnon, Crete. In the stables, there are 2 large olive grove/meadows for the horses to graze and roam around in, enjoying the amazing natural environment of Crete. Each horse has it’s own roomy stable in case the weather conditions are not so favourable (only about 10% of the year if not less). Furthermore there are 3 semisized paddocks, a small arena for lessons and training, lots of space for grooming and tacking up, and a little office/ tackroom. Our menagerie consists on s click .gr w e n t e r s of more than 30 horsfor mo p://cretepo htt es of various breeds like mini Shetlandponies, Jorgalidiko’s, Merens and Shire-mix, as well as many athletic horses that have participated in races. Plakias Beach Trip Starting from the horse riding center in Damnoni, the riders are heading west with direction to Plakias beach. The riders follow a path through flowers and olive groves where they can enjoy the flora and fauna of
south Crete as well as the view to the Plakias beach. Eventually they will reach the central beach of Plakias which is about 1.4 km long. Information • Plakias Horse Riding Center 7460 Plakias Rethimno, Crete, Greece Phone: +30. 28320. 31196, 32033, 32034, 32018 Fax: +30. 28320. 31196, 32033, 32034, 32018 Mobile: 694-2011620 Email: info@cretehorseriding. com The riders can try a slow or active ride in the sandy beach beside the waves and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay of
Plakias, the villages Myrthios and Sellia located on the hills above Plakias, and the mountains around. Our staff is competent and multilingual. They have lots of experience in guiding trails and teaching, and will provide you with an enjoyable and safe ride/lesson. Besides this they take care of the animals, their training and their accomodation. This riding trip on the beach of Plakias, the olive groves, or the surrounding mountains is amazing and very picturesque. The scenery with it’s beautiful flora and fauna is very beautiful to take at an easy pace, but also
suitable for active riding. Plakias Beach Swimming Trip Starting from the horse riding center in Damnoni, the riders are heading west with direction to Plakias beach. The riders follow a path through meadows of flowers and olive groves where they can enjoy the flora and fauna of south Crete as well as the view to the Plakias beach. Eventually they will reach the central beach of Plakias which is about 1.4 km long. The riders can try a slow or quick ride in the sandy beach beside the waves. In specific points of the beach, where the waters are shallow and the bottom of the sea is quite smooth, the riders can try to swim with their horse. Swimming is very enjoyable for the horses that can participate in games with their riders and go to deeper waters. Apart from this, they will enjoy the panoramic view of the Plakias bay, the villages Myrthios and Sellia located on the hills above Plakias, and the mountains around. This trip occurs only early in the morning or later in the evening. Our guests should be advanced riders and good swimmers.
Luxury in Rethymno has two names... Odyssia and Omiros Hotel! The One And Only Neighbour accomodation is
the next generation Style in making the Right Choice. It is granted that when you leave home , you should discover details that make the difference... A neighboor that reminds everybody the beauty of simplicity. Such a neigboor is Rethymno ...between the two biggest cities of Crete- Heraklion and Chania - in an exceptional position, exactly on the beautiful sandy beach of Rethymno, with total length of 15 km. Odyssia beach Hotel is a family made three plus star hotel situated in the north side of Crete. It has 104 rooms with availability to accommodate up to 350 people. One of its great advantages is that it has immediate access to the beach giving the impression that you are still in the hotel even when you are in the sea having your bath or enjoying the sun at the beach. Odyssia Beach Hotel 18 Mandilara Str, 74100 Missiria, Rethymno, Crete, Greece
The state-of-the-art hotel compound has been designed in striking colour combinations that blend in with the surrounding landscape. The interior design of the rooms is based predominantly on wood and glass, creating an ambience that is bound to bring you back to Omiros Boutique Hotel again and again. This style is reminiscent of anTel: +30 28310 27874, 50020 | artistic checker and finder...Are cient Greek courtyards. Fax: +30 28310 54906 | E-mail: you? The Omiros Boutique Hotel And the answer in your re- is located in the north of the info@odyssia.gr If you are looking for some- search is Find Quality in JUST Rethymnon district in the Misthing special that will make you ONE WORD iria region, 150 meters from the OMIROS... feel privileged.... beach and 3 km from downAs llong as you are a brave ann OMIROS BOUTIQUE HOTEL is town Rethymnon. The coastal road and the footpath start 200 meters from the hotel. Stretching for 3 km along the coast, the footpath is ideal for a stroll, leading straight to the heart of the old Venetian town of Rethymnon and the Venetian harbour. OMIROS BOUTIQUE HOTEL Ionias, Rethymno Town, 74100, Crete, Greece Tel: +30 28310 27874 or +30 28310 50020
Arkadi Monastery
Τhe one and only with international fame thanks to its involvement in the Cretan Revolt
p.18
news & articles
A rk ad i M onaster y, o n e of t he m ost im p or tant M onasteries in Crete, is 2 3 k m from R et hym no. I ts fo u n dati o n i s trad iti o n a l l y attr i bu ted to empero r Hera cl i u s, while i t wa s reco n stru c ted in th e 5th centu r y by B yza nti n e empero r Arca dius, a f ter w h o m i t wa s eventu a l l y n a med. However, a cco rdi n g to cer ta i n referen ces contra di c ti n g th i s v i ew, it wa s fo u n ded by a monk ca l l ed Arca di u s a n d it wa s n a med a f ter him . Th e mo n a ster y h a s b een a n emi n ent i ntell ec tu a l center since n o k c th e 16th centur y : li sc re new st.gr for mo p://cretepo th e mo n ks u sed to htt tra n scr i be mo stl y ec cl esi a sti ca l bo o ks, while
th ere wa s a l so a n ex tensi ve co l l ec ti o n o f books w r i tten i n th e a n cient ti mes, a s wel l a s a school i n th e mo n a ster y. Ar k a di M o n a ster y ga ined i nter n ati o n a l f am e th a n ks to i tsi nvo l vement i n th e Creta n R e volt a n d i ts h i gh l i ght i n No vember 1866, w h en t he
Tur k ish t roop s led siege to t he monaster y where 700 women and c hild ren and 260 Cret an fighter s
of Const a nt i n o s Ya mp o u d ak is, set a fi re a n d b l e w t he m on a s te r y, k i l l i n g som e Tur ks a s we l l. Th i s i s
w h i l e o n l y t h e h a l f- b u r nt altar and a cannonball s t u c k o n a c yp re s s o u ts i de t h e mo n a s te r y re -
were loc ked af ter t he Ab b ot refused to sur rend er. Two d ays af ter t he siege had st ar ted and when t he walls b egan collap sing, women, c hild ren and male fighter s gat hered in t he room where t hey used to store gunp owd er und er t he command
consid ere d a s o n e o f t h e m ost im p o r t a nt e ve nt s i n t he histor y o f Cre te a n d it is t he re a s o n w hy U n e sco anno u n ce d Ar k a di a s a Europ ea n M o n u me nt o f Lib er t y. The mona s te r y wa s e ve n t ually re b u i l t a n d re stored in i t s i n i t i a l fo r m,
ma i n a s e vi de n ce o f t h e t ra g e dy a n d t h e b l o o d t h at wa s s h e d. N owa days, t h e mo n a s te r y ce l e b rate s o n 8 t h N ove mb e r, t h at i s t h e a n n i ve r s a r y o f t h e Ar k a di M o n a s te r y H o l o c a u s t. http://w w w.che ck increta.com
Raki is the symbol of Cretan culture and hospitality Cretan
p. 20
news & articles
Raki (tsikoudia) is consumed as an indication of friendship and nobility, as a social mean of communication. There is always a glass of Raki when the Cretans welcome their guests, wish to each other, discuss in the traditional cafes, overcome their sorrows and solve their fights. Visiting a Cretan home without to be treated is considered as rudeness. The purpose of the treat is neither to be drunk nor to be glutted of food, but simply to create a pleasant social interaction. n click o st.gr s w e The Cretan distilled spirre n epo for mo ttp://cret h it known as Raki or Tsikoudia is on the whole, homemade by individual families for their own consumption on Crete. Many families have their own Still or share a distillery with
their often large extended families. The Raki is made in the Autumn after the grape harvest when the vines have been pruned. Long before recycling and being ‘Greener’ became fashionable the Cretans used everything that nature provided with nothing going to waste – and they still do! The vineyard provided wood for the fireplace, vine leaves for cooking (as used in dolmades for example) and the grapes used as a fresh fruit or sun dried as sultanas or made into wine. Some of the grape “must” is cooked down until it becomes dark and syrupy grape molasses and is known as Petimezi. The Petimezi is then kept as a pantry staple and used in Greek pastries. The remaining crushed grape skins comprising seeds, pulp
and stems are distilled to produce Tsikoudia or Raki which is colourless and typically is around 45% proof but can be much more! The distillation
party! Some Raki makers will add wild herbs such as Thyme or Rosemary, others will sweeten the clear liquid with honey making
should be drunk sensibly as over indulgence could lead to a severe hangover! It is served in small decanters or carafes with a small shot
process often taking 3 hours or so and becomes a celebration in which family and friends bring food and sample the drink as it is being made. The Cretans are never afraid to
it a rich golden colour. This sweetened, very palatable blend of Raki and honey is known as “Rakomela”. Known by visitors as firewater, moonshine or loopy juice, Raki
glass. It is always served with food, often in the form of titbits of Feta cheese, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers or cooked beans or rice dishes on small plates.
Everybody gets one on the way back home
Cretan gruyere traditionally made from a mixture of sheep and goat milk Cretan
p. 22
food & wine
Gruyere is one of the most popular cheeses in Crete. It is known for its excellent quality, the traditional way of its production, its pure ingredients and its unique pleasant taste. The Cretan Gruyere is characterized as a hard table cheese and it is a symbol of the traditional Cretan diet with a huge production history on our island which goes back through centuries. Its color is light yellow or slightly white with small round holes and natural on s click ost.gr w e skin and it has a parn re ep for mo ttp://cret h ticularly pleasant subtle and slightly brackish flavor with a rich aroma. It is a hard, yellow-white cheese with a solid elastic mass and many holes and sometimes cracks. It has got a rich slightly sweet and salty flavor and a rich aroma of milk proteins-propionic fermentation. It is given a cylindrical shape with hard, dry skin which is covered by microbial development The Cretan gruyere hard cheese requires three months maturation before being offered for consumption. It’s fine table cheese with pleasant sweetish taste and rich aroma, and is a symbol both of Cretan cheese, and the traditional healthy Cretan diet. An important source of proteins of high biological quality, cheese plays a central role in the Cretan diet. It is said to be a source of saturated fats but the Cretans who eat it do
not have high levels of cholesterol, probably the combinations of the Cretan nutritional model provide the ideal balance‌ The Cretan diet is an impressively balanced diet of natural products that offer exactly what the human needs to remain healthy. Recent scientific studies associate dairy products with the prevention and treatment of breast and prostate cancer! In Crete and France extensive studies are being conducted to develop new methods of treatment of the disease based on these scientific findings! The kefalotiri from Rethymno is hard tabletop cylindrical cheese, traditionally made from a mixture of sheep and goat milk. Before placing the
aged for three months in controlled conditions, in order to highlight the flavor and aromas. It is also based on the free grazing. No animal farming business keeps its animals imprisoned for a long time, the animals of Crete are free throughout the year on the maintains or pastures and feed almost exclusively on wild plants, the incredible Cretan herbs and bushes. This traditional form of animal farming is based on centuries-long experience. The only essential difference to the past is the processing of the milk, that now takes place in modern factories, strictly following the safety of food regulations and the traditional methods of cheese-making.
The Cretan graviera cheese offers a surprising taste, like the rest of the cheese varieties of the island (kefalotyri, kefalograviera, anthotyros‌). The main features of the Cretan diet The Cretan diet is a way of life: plain, simple, with no redundant spices or taste boosters. But, at the same time, it is particularly scrumptious in a natural way, one might say. Simplicity brings forward the ingenuity of the hostess, who wields her age-old experience without strictly adhering to recommended doses. What counts the most in traditional Cretan cuisine is imagination. Cretans may eat greens or legumes every day, but they almost never eat the same food. The Cretan hostesses continuously invent new ways of bringing out the quality of ingredients through various simple and ingenuous combinations. A typical feature of the Cretan table is the variety of dishes, which combine with one another to form a tasteful entity. Besides, the main features of Cretan cuisine can be summarised as follows: the products used are strictly local and seasonal. Wild greens are eaten raw or boiled, either as the main cooking ingredient or as an accompanying dish or salad, sometimes used only to add flavour. Meat comes mainly from goats (usually free-range), poultry and pork. Spices are always present, but in a rather discreet way.