Source: tastecrete.eu
The prestigious American magazine National Geographic published an article on its website yesterday, Tuesday, with the contribution of many of its editors, with the 15 best destinations worldwide for readers to enjoy the best dishes and drinks, as an overall experience.
This is a list of destinations on various continents for gastronomic experiences, as stated, around which readers are invited to build their plans for their next trip.
Crete is mentioned first and foremost in the report, with extremely flattering comments and rich photographs that give the reader who has not visited Greece a good first impression of the gastronomic experience that a visit to the Greek island represents.
The reference to the largest island of Greece begins with the reminder that it is the model of the Mediterranean Diet and has been designated a European Gastronomic Destination.
As the author of this report explains in her detailed report, the gastronomic tradition of Crete dates back at least to the year 1900. Not 126 years ago, that is, after Christ, but 40 centuries ago, that is, before Christ. The oldest findings there, such as food and wine glasses, date back to that time or even earlier, as archaeologists found in the palace of Knossos.
It is added that agricultural products were stored there by the Minoans, but it was also the site of many celebrations.
“The enjoyment of food and the appreciation for good health go hand in hand on this vast island, where approximately 40 million olive trees thrive. Many consider Cretan cuisine to be the model for the hugely popular Mediterranean Diet, which is scientifically proven to promote longevity. In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers found that Cretans had remarkably low rates of heart disease and chronic diseases. They attributed the islanders’ good health to a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil, seasonal fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains, and limited consumption of meat and dairy products,” the article on the Cretan culinary destination states.
“Today, from the arid, rocky slopes of remote Sfakia in the southwest to the wineries around Heraklion, new generations of chefs proudly maintain the family heritage with dishes like thyme honey, nutty gruyere and fiery raki filling their tables.”
“In the small village of Drakona, at the foot of the White Mountains, farmer and chef Stelios Trilirakis keeps the flame of tradition alive at Dounias, where he cooks in pots of snails and vegetables over a fire. Do it like the Cretans and pair the stew with plenty of meze to share, and take your time,” the magazine urges its readers.
Then he adds that “half an hour’s drive north is the port city of Chania, where the traditional taverna Chrysostomos serves hearty portions of smoked lamb, simply salted and slow-cooked in olive oil to maximize flavor. Meanwhile, in Chania’s Tabakaria neighborhood, once a center of tanneries, Periplus combines the island’s finest ingredients with modern creations. Think dishes like amaranth with celeriac cream, a simple salad with tangy mizithra cheese, or a… sashimi of the fish of the day drizzled with tangy citrus. All of these are best eaten on the terrace as the sun sets over the Cretan Sea,” the article concludes.
The remaining 14 culinary experience suggestions that follow Crete in this National Geographic tribute are, in order, Kelowna in Canada, Hawaii, Buon Ma Thuot in Vietnam, the Czech Republic, Lucknow in India, the northern provinces of Colombia, train trips in picturesque landscapes, southern Tasmania in Australia, Singapore, Somerset in England, Sonora in Mexico, Tenedos, Minneapolis in the USA and Cape Town in South Africa, while at the end, TV presenter Anthony Porowski adds London.
Source: kathimerini.gr