The lovers of Tsikoudia
These appetizers (mezes) are not a product of a chef’s inspiration. They come from the old times, when poverty was connected to life in Crete: the need to make tasty food from the same simple ingredients, used in many different ways, to achieve variety. Potatoes, eggs, greens, cheese, snails, whatever old Cretans caught in the sea is what made up their daily diet. By mixing these basic ingredients in an arty way, with a great deal of love, is what created these unforgettable flavors that marked time…
Poor man’s meze. They are delicious and Tsikoudia’s most loyal friend. They are baked whole with their skin on in a traditional wood-fired oven, or cut in half on a baking tray in the oven. They are served with oil, salt, pepper, oregano and… they disappear within minutes after being served!
Pumpkin flowers
They disappear at an instance, once they’re served! Even from those who don’t drink Tsikoudia. Zucchini flowers are stuffed with rice, parsley, mint, fennel, onion and tomato. So simple and so delicious. In some areas they add minced meat. We personally prefer them stuffed with rice.
Broad beans
Fresh broad beans together with raw wild artichokes are the best
pair of appetizers. As for dried beans, they are cooked in a
thousand and two ways and they are all delicious. Boiled, stewed, mashed, with potatoes, with greens. Even stew. And of course, fava beans are also made. The famous “kukofava”.
The best meze of Tsikoudia! The heart of the artichoke is cleaned and cut
into pieces, served raw with lemon and salt. Alternatively, it’s served cooked with beans or yogurt. They are delicious. They are also served in a salad with other vegetables from the island, while artichokes with mullets is a divine dish.
Abronies
They are wild asparagus and honestly, if you come across them, don’t you dare not try them! They are made into salad, fried, with eggs, with lamb and in any other way that the one who gathers them from the wild may be inspired. Their taste has nothing to do with what you probably buy from the supermarket.
Fried rabbit
Even if you don’t like rabbit, this one will blow your mind! How do they make it so delicious, is a true mystery! It is seasoned with just rosemary and garlic, but it tastes as if it is seasoned with all the herbs of the island. It takes art to make it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The most beautiful Cretan pie and the most difficult to achieve. The secret is that it is fried without oil. Hence the difficulty of making the foil crispy and the mizithra cheese filling cooked. Served with honey. You don’t need to go all the way to Sfakia to taste it.
Chochlioi
That’s what snails are called in Crete. They love them so much that they cook them in… 38 different ways and you will definitely find one that you ‘ll like! The most famous are the “boorbouristioi”. But they are also made into a pie, boiled with lemon oil, with pumpkins, with okra, even moussaka, stew or spaghetti sauce.
Pickled Tomatoes
When the cafe runs out of food, there are always some pickled tomatoes left over. However, don’t wait until the rest of the appetizers are eaten to try them. It is as if they were made to accompany Tsikoudia. How are they served? The dried tomatoes are added to the batter and fried. Heavenly bites!
Kaltsounia
Sort of like cheesecakes, but…totally different! With mizithra cheese or
vegetable filling. Depending on your location, you will taste a different recipe. Kaltsounia from Gerapetri, Heraklion kalstsounia, from Chania,
Rethymno, Kastrina, with bitter almond, with orange, with sourdough. All you need is a good appetite and you will never get tired of eating them!