Gastronomy Welcome! & Wine MOUNT ATHOS AREA HALKIDIKI ΕΝ Gastronomy & Wine MOUNT ATHOS AREA HALKIDIKI Contents Welcome 4 Our products 8 Herbs 12 Sweets 14 Doughs and breads 20 Wine 24 Mussels 32 Olive oil 36 Honey 38 Cheese and yoghurt 44 Fish 50 What to buy and where 52 Where to eat 62 You can cook our recipes too 78 Mount Athos Kouzina 2014 102 Where to stay 110 Information, Contact 118 2 MOUNT ATHOS AREA ORGANISATION 3 Naturally, words are never enough to show the culinary diversity, quality and quantity. This can only be experienced through the very trip! Welcome So postpone it no more! to the region of Athos and Aristotle in Halkidiki! Make it happen! Organize a culinary tour in the Athos region of Halkidiki and experience the bliss of thousands of flavours tingling your senses: Welcome to a region rich in flavours and history! taste, sight and smell... Located at the foot of Agion Oros with its unique culinary particularity of a diet We are waiting for you throughout the year and hope you will enjoy based on vegetables and fish for the 2,500 monks living on it, the region every savoury moment! is inspired by their mysticism, mentality, lifestyle and habits and hence presents dishes of a distinct identity. Birthplace to the greatest philosopher of antiquity, Aristotle, the region is also gastronomically influenced by the ancient Greek cuisine, based on the fruits of the forest, the Aristotelian mount and mother earth. As a place that welcomed the refugees of Pontos and Asia Minor the region has integrated culinary traditions of the east to create dishes with colours and aromas of the unforgettable homelands, reflecting an exceptional sense of housekeeping. With 300 kilometres of coastline complementing its natural beauty, the region makes good use of the local fisheries with fish and seafood dishes that bring out the quality of local products and captures the smell of iodine and the flavour of the "blessed salt"! With the Aristotelian Mountain and the evergreen Cholomontas surrounding it, the Athos region combines the spicy and tasty culinary flavours of the mountain areas with traditional flavours, in exquisite pies and patties, creating dishes that can please even the most demanding pallets! 4 MOUNT ATHOS AREA ORGANISATION 5 I IA E75 R GA E79 L E - THRAK J S BU OP CHI C O DONIA S X E - SERRE E OM MAC R GARY F FROM L AST E - A AL V FROM BU EGNATIA ODOS E90 A K OM R F FROM ITALY EGNATIA ODOS E90 EGNATIA ODOS E90 ASPROVALTA C FROM ATHENS - WEST MACEDONIA - IPIROS LAKE KORONIA LAKE VOLVI PERISTERONA RENDINA C STAVROS C C C C APOLLONIA C A LAGADIKIA B MADYTOS D C THESSALONIKI C PILEA PANORAMA MELISOURGOS OLYMPIADA ANCIENT STAGEIRA VARVARA C THERMI MARATHOUSA STANOS C. MARMARI GULF OF THERMAIKOS STAGEIRA GULF OF STRYMONIKOS N. REDESTOS STRATONIKI A STRATONI B NEOCHORI C D DOUMBIA C. ELEFTHEROU AGIA TRIADA GEROPLATANOS PALEOCHORI N. RYSIO A B PALEOCHORA ARNEA NEPOSI CASTLE KARDIA B VASILIKA AG. ANASTASIA AG. PRODROMOS B N. MICHANIONA GALATISTA B B HOLOMONTAS C A B GULF OF IERISSOS MEGALI PANAGIA C. ARAPIS D A PALEOKASTRO EPANOMI GALATISTA TOWER TAXIARCHIS C B GOMATI IERISSOS LAKKOMA A PETRALONA CAVE A N. RODA POTAMOS POLYGYROS A B PLANA AG. IOANNIS D D DEVELIKI A VRASTAMA A D C. AG. THEODORI NEA GONIA N. IRAKLEIA MARIANON CASTLE PIRGADIKIA ESFIGMENOU M. D AMMOULIANI METAGITSI HELANDARIOU M. C. ARKOUDAS VATOPEDION D OURANOUPOLI ΜΕΤΟHΙ ST. NIKOLAOS N. KALLIKRATEIA NEA TRIGLIA ΜONOXILITIS SALONIKIOU KALYVES ORMYLIA ZOGRAFOU M. OLYNTHOS AGIOU DIMITRIOU M. GERAKINI D KASTAMONITOU M. N. PLAGIA D PANTOKRATOROS M. PSAKOUDIA DOCHEARIOU M. PR. ILIA M. N. FLOGITA VATOPEDIO XENOFONTOS M. D AGIOS NIKOLAOS STRAVONIKITA M. D AGIOS MAMAS METAMORFOSI KOUTLOUMOUSIOU M. N MOUDANIA NIKITI IVIRON M. D ORMOS PANAGIAS AG. PANTELEIMONOS M. XIROPOTAMOU M. FILOTHEOU M. KARAKALOU M. DIAPOROS ISLAND C. XIFARAS VOURVOUROU N. POTIDEA SIMONOS PETRAS M. OSIOU GRIGORIOU M. MEG. LAVRAS M. GULF OF THERMAIKOS GULF OF TORONEOS GULF OF SIGITIKOS DIONYSSIOU M. (MOUNT ATHOS) AGIOU PAVLOU M. N. FOKEA AG. ANNIS M. TIM. PRODROMOU M. MEG. LAVRAS M. AG. TRIADOS M. SARTI N. MARMARAS SANI CA. AKRATHOS KALITHEA KASSANDRA SITHONIA ATHOS SIVIRI KRIOPIGI POLYCHRONO FOURKA HANIOTI PEFKOCHORI PORTO KOUFO POSIDI NEA SKIONI 6 MOUNT ATHOS AREA ORGANISATION 7 MAP OF Map Protected Areas Routes to MOUNT ATHOS AREA Symbols Νatura European Network Mount Athos Area Airport Ancient Site Spa Taxiarhis - Poligiros Sithonia Peninsula Thessaloniki > Poligiros > Vrastama > Gomati > Ierissos > Ouranoupoli Port, Marina Cave Ship Cruises Mount Holomontas Mount Athos Thessaloniki > Ag. Prodromos > Paleochora > Arnea > Paleochori > M.Panagia > Gomati > Hospital Health Center Monastery Ierissos > Ouranoupoli Mount Itamos - Sithonia Stratoniko Hotel Thessaloniki > Rentina > Stavros > Olympiada > Ierissos > Ouranoupoli Thessaloniki > Moudania > Metamorfosi > Metaggitsi > Gomati > Ierissos > Ouranoupoli Our Products Our Products Scents, colours, flavours and images of people of a special agricultural production, one of the most unique in its variety and richness. A fertile land, full of gifts, from its depth to its surface and from the bottom of its sea to its sea ports and beaches! Products signed for their quality, purity and homely care guarantee. Rare honey flavours from Arnea, Stratoni and the slopes of Athos on Mount Athos, from firs, heathers, pines, from herbs and bushes of Cholomontas and the Aristoteleian Mount! Bee-keepers and producers keep the tradition of generations past and deliver it to the next, always respectful of the «sweet» history of pure honey taste! Mushrooms of all kinds grow profusely in the mushroom fields of the mountain and create special dishes in the cuisines of the mountainous villages: mushroom pies, mushroom balls, mushrooms with louvidia (a kind of bean) and so many more… The Greek feta and all other kinds of cheese produced by local traditional creameries mean the region’s production is on a par with that of famous destinations with a tradition in “renowned” food products. Firs from the slopes of Cholomontas and Mount Stratiniko, where they are cultivated for years in the plant nurseries of the mountain, provide oxygen and protection to the evergreen forest and are then distributed to the domestic market as Christmas trees to adorn family memories! Blessed wine made from the holy hands of the monks on Mount Athos and the traditional wineries of Arnea and the organic vines that climb on the fertile slopes of Marathousa. Tsipouro[raki] clean, strong, made in the “rakokazana” [raki cauldrons] of M. Panagia, Gomatio, Ierissos, Stratoniki and Stagira by men of hard work, to ease their toil, to cheer them up and bring fun to their celebrations and to their guests! Beans and Louvidia* from Neochori, so tender, sweet and easy to cook! The soil favours their cultivation and the bean sticks on the farms of «Piavitsa» are the trademark of the region! *(beans that have been threaded on wire and sun-dried) 8 MOUNT ATHOS AREA ORGANISATION 9 Our Products Our Products Sausages from Strano, Varvara, Paleochori, M. Panagia, made by housewives with care and wholesome organic local meats. In the region of Varvara semi- wild piglets are reared, which go straight from “production to consumption”, creating tasty treats that will satisfy even the most demanding pallets! Mussels from Olybiada, famous, big, healthy, delicious, all thanks to the quality and composition of the sea water. The region is renowned for its mussels farms and the mussel-based dishes: mussel patties, mussel risotto, mussels in sauce, fried mussels, steamed mussels ..., they are a perfect complement to a summer glass of ouzo in the fish tavernas of the coastal zone. Fish from Ierissos, Olympiada, Ammouliani and Mount Athos fill the nets of every boat, small or big and form the staple diet of the Mount Athos monks. You will find them in the fish ports of the region and you will taste them in every fish taverna, fresh, almost «alive», with the scent of the sea breeze! Salted fish (salted preserves) from Ierissos, the tastier you have ever tried, in a great variety of flavours and recipes. Watermelons from the green watermelon fields of Nea Roda, so sweet and fragrant you will find it hard to believe they are real! Sweetened fruits, liquors and jams, all made of forest fruits by the women’s association of Olympiada and Varvara. The women use the gifts of nature to make healthy sweets, delicious and fragrant, suitable for every diet. Sweets from Asia Minor, marzipan flowers, doughnuts, salburekia and filo-pastry new year cakes, made in the households of Ammouliani and Ouranoupoli, Olympiada and Nea Roda and bear the intoxicating scents of the spices of the East. Oil and Olives from the plain of Pirgadikia, with an oh-so-rich, with a full and delicate flavour. ALL THIS PRODUCTION FORMS THE BASIS OF THE DELICIOUS FLAVOURS YOU WILL TASTE AT EVERY CORNER OF THE REGION OF ATHOS AND TURNS EVERY CULINARY JOURNEY TO AN INDULGENCE THAT YOU WILL WANT TO EXPERIENCE AGAIN AND AGAIN! © Foto: Nestor Spanos 10 MOUNT ATHOS AREA ORGANISATION 11 Herbs Herbs Three lush mountains, protected by the European network Natura 2000, covered all year round with hundreds of plants and herbs, from which the monks of Mount Athos and the locals make all sorts of drinks or beverages and use them in cooking and confectionery! Indeed, 4,500 species of plants and herbs grow on the slopes of Cholomontas, while more than 404 species have been recorded on the Aristotelian Mountain; these are cited in ancient writings and formed the basis for the description of Asian plants by Alexander the Great! Mount Athos and the entire Athonite state form a huge “botanical” area, which transforms religious, cultural and hiking tours into botanical excursions in a landscape that is as virgin as its vegetation.