Ionian Islands - Greece - page 1410

Greece's regions produce many different types of cheeses, most using goat's and
sheep's milk, with infinite variations in taste. Apart from feta, local cheeses include
graviera , a nutty, mild Gruyère-like sheep's-milk cheese (the best is made in Crete,
Naxos and Tinos), kaseri , similar to provolone, the ricotta-like whey cheese myzithra
(also dried and hardened for pastas), and creamy manouri from the north. Saganaki is
made from firm, sharp cheeses such as kefalotyri or kefalograviera .
Every region also has variations of the pita (pie), from the pastry to the choice of
fillings, though cheese, and cheese and spinach, are the most common.
TASTES OF THE ISLANDS
Each Greek island group - and sometimes each island - has its own specialities.
Islanders in the arid Cyclades relied on beans and pulses as the foundation of
their winter diet. Santorini is renowned forfava(split-pea purée served with lemon
juice and finely cut red onions), fritters made from its unique waterless tomatoes
and wild capers. Sifnos' trademarkrevythadha(chickpea stew) is slow-cooked
overnight in a specially shaped clay pot. Spaghetti with lobster is another Cycladic
speciality, while Mykonos makes a mean sausage, as well askopanisti(spicy
creamy cheese).
The Venetian influence in the Ionian Islands is reflected in dishes such as Corfu's
spicy braised beef or roosterpastitsada(red sauce pasta), andsofrito(braised
veal with garlic and wine sauce). Grilled pancetta (pork spare ribs) is popular in
Zakynthos.
Crete's herb-rich dishes includeanthoi(stuffed zucchini flowers),soupies(cut-
tlefish) with wild fennel, and the local delicacy,hohlioi bourbouristoi(snails with
vinegar and rosemary). Lamb is cookedtsigariasto(sautéed) orofto(grilled up-
right around hot coals), or stewed withstamnagathi(wild mountain greens), or
broad beans and artichokes.Kalitsouniaare the localpita(filled withmyzithraor
wild greens). Celebrations invariably involve spit-roasted and boiled lamb, the
stock of which is used to makepilafi, orgamopilafo(wedding rice).
Sweet Treats
Greeks traditionally serve fruit rather than sweets after a meal, but there's no shortage of
delectable Greek sweets and cakes.
Traditional sweets include baklava, loukoumadhes (ball-shaped doughnuts served with
honey and cinnamon), kataïfi (chopped nuts inside shredded angel-hair pastry), rizogalo
(rice pudding) and galaktoboureko (custard-filled pastry). Syrupy fruit preserves, ghlika