Cretan cuisine ( el, Κρητική κουζίνα) is the traditional cuisine of the Mediterranean island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...

Background

The core of the Cretan cuisine consists of food derived from plants, whereas food of animal origin was more peripheral in nature. In general, people consumed seasonal products, available in the wider local area, which underwent minimal processing or none at all. The traditional cuisine was widespread in the island until the 1960s when, with improving living standards, alimentary patterns changed towards more meat and other animal-derived produce. Fresh fruit and dried fruits,

pulses In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the nec ...

, endemic wild herbs and aromatic plants, and rough cereals, whose cultivation was favored by the regional climate, were consumed in great amounts and constituted the base of the Cretan cuisine during that period. Dairy products were consumed on a daily basis in low to moderate quantities. Poultry and

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

were consumed on a weekly basis in moderate quantities, whereas

red meat In gastronomy, red meat is commonly red when raw and a dark color after it is cooked, in contrast to white meat, which is pale in color before and after cooking. In culinary terms, only flesh from mammals or fowl (not fish) is classified as ...

was consumed only a few times a month. The main supply of fat was effectuated by olive oil, which was used not only in salads but also in cooking, unlike the northern European countries which primarily used animal fat. Another essential feature of the Cretan cuisine was the moderate use of alcohol, mainly red wine which accompanied meals. Finally, the most common dessert was yogurt and fresh fruits, while traditional

pastry Pastry is baked food made with a dough of flour, water and shortening (solid fats, including butter or lard) that may be savoury or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bakers' confectionery''. The word "pastries" sugges ...

based on

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

had been consumed a few times a week.

Appetizers

*''

Dakos Dakos or ntakos ( el, ντάκος), also known as koukouvagia or koukouvayia (κουκουβάγια, "owl") or—in eastern Crete—kouloukopsomo (from ''koulouki'' + ''psomi'', pup + bread, allegedly the bread given to puppies), is a Cretan '' ...

'' (salad) * Stamnagathi (cichorium) salad *''Piktí'' (or Tsiladiá), pork charcuterie *'' Apáki'', smoked pork (or chicken) meat *''

Paximadi Paximathia ( el, παξιμάδια), also spelt paximadia (plural), or paximadi/paximathi (singular), is a hard bread of Greek origin, similar to rusk, that is prepared with whole wheat, chick pea or barley flour.... It has been referred to as be ...

'' *'' Kalitsounia '' *'' Kolokythoanthoi'' *'' Kolokythopita'' *'' Marathopita'' *''Mizithropita'',

mizithra Mizithra or myzithra ( ) is a Greek whey cheese or mixed milk-whey cheese from sheep or goats, or both. Barron, Rosemary (1991). ''Flavors of Greece.'' William Morrow, It is sold both as a fresh cheese, similar to Italian ''ricotta'', and as a s ...

sandwich *''Sykoti Savore'', liver cooked in vinegar *'' Staka'', buttercream roux *''

Graviera Graviera ( el, γραβιέρα ) is a cheese from Greece produced in various parts of Greece, the main of which are: Crete, Lesbos, Naxos and Amfilochia. It resembles gruyère, a Swiss cheese from whose name "graviera" is derived. Graviera is G ...

'' cheese *''

Xynomizithra Xynomizithra or xynomyzithra () is a Greek whey cheese with some added milk; it is a sour variant of Mizithra, and made from ewes' and/or goats' milk. The proportion of full-cream milk is about 15%. It is mainly produced on the island of Cre ...

'' cheese *'' Xygalo'' cheese *'' Pichtogalo'' cheese *Other cheeses include ''Amarino'', ''Seliano'', ''Tirozouli'', ''Tiromalama''

Specialities

*''Antikristo'' (or Oftó), lamb meat *'' Blessed thistle with

lamb Lamb or The Lamb may refer to: * A young sheep * Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep Arts and media Film, television, and theatre * ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut * ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...

'' *''Hirino me selino'', pork meat with celery *''Gamopilafo'', rice cooked in goat and rooster broth *Snails with tomato *'' Sfougato'' (omelette with potatoes/pumpkin) *'' Sofegada'', vegetables *''Triftoudia'', type of orzo *Types of pasta, such as '' Skioufichta'', ''Magiri'', ''Chilofta'', ''Avgochilos'' *'' Xerotigana'', dessert *''

Amygdalopita Amygdalopita ( el, Αμυγδαλόπιτα) is an almond cake in Greek cuisine made with ground almonds, flour, butter, eggs and pastry cream. It is one of the most common ''glyka tapsiou'' ( el, γλυκά ταψιού) - dessert dishes like pies ...

'' (dessert) *''Patouda'' (dessert) *'' Portokalopita'' (dessert)

Drinks

Tsikoudia ''Tsikoudia'' ( el, τσικουδιά, tsikoudiá, literally "terebinth"), also often called '' raki'' ( el, ρακή, rakí) in the eastern part of Crete, is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Cretan origin that co ...

Rakomelo ( el, ρακόμελο (or , from () + (), meaning "honey") is a Greek mixed alcoholic drink. It is a digestive spirit, traditionally used by many Greeks as a home remedy for a sore throat or cough. Types is made by combining or - two typ ...

* Cretan wine

Gallery

File:Koukouvagia.jpg,

File:Kolokythoanthoi gemistoi me giaourti.jpg, ''Kolokythoanthoi'' are often served with a dollop of yoghurt on the side ( zucchini flowers) File:SnailsInTomatoFromCrete.JPG, Snails with tomato File:Rakomelo 2016-07-29.png, Rakomelo

References

External links

Cretan Quality Agreement
{{Authority control Greek cuisine Culture of Crete