Maddie Salters makes the case for having an agro-adventure in Greece.
Let me take a moment to describe what the landscape of Greece is like. Mountains topped with sun-spattered clouds, expanding towards the shining armor of the sea, dotted with greenery, with villages nestled into each crest and valley. I could understand why the ancients believed in Zeus and Hera: never had I be somewhere that looked more like an impressionist painting. A truly majestic spot, especially for lovers of ancient history.
If you’re going to do an Agro-Adventure (be you a seasoned eco-traveler, or new to its call), I would have to suggest Greece as the place to do it. I was wooed (as we Northerners have to be) by the weather, which was 15-20 degrees each day in November, and agog at the scenery. The local farmers, who had an easy way about them as they smoked cigarettes and dolled out homemade wine (pretty much everywhere), were the real picture of rural life – a wonderful break for anyone whose professional or academic schedule is all about rigor, stress, and schedule.
But most of all, do it for the food. What continually shocked me was the impression in my mind I’d built of Greek food: American diner salads with tzatziki sauce, 3am kebabs in east London. I had never really tasted feta, never truly appreciated fresh, cold-pressed olive oil, never put my faith into salads made from a medley of herbs and spices that ended up being more resilient and hearty than many of the main dishes I tried.
Agro-adventuring will open your mind to the basics of food: what each individual ingredient should taste, smell, look, and feel like. How it should make you feel. And in Greece, how you feel is light, airy, satiated, enegrised, and yes: super, duper full. The Greeks ascribe to a tradition: let the flavours speak for themselves.
I’m off to make a fresh herb salad with olive oil I brought home with me– proof that those flavour profiles are still chatting away!
Best of All: Visit nearby villages to discover hidden co-ops: from local, communal wineries where you can turn your grapes into raki quickly, to bakeries where you can get your hands floured up, or just cater to your sweet tooth’s hankering for chocolate.
Pro Tip: Make sure to bring your amenities along with you… my Pantheon for a hair dryer!
Check out some Cretan recipes at incrediblecrete.gr/16/index.en.html.
Read more posts in Maddie’s Crete Eats series.
