Source: tastecrete.eu
The prestigious American magazine *National Geographic* published an article On its website yesterday, Tuesday, with contributions from many of its editors, it listed the 15 best destinations worldwide for readers to enjoy the finest food and drink as part of an overall experience.
This is a list of destinations on various continents offering gastronomic experiences, as mentioned, around which readers are invited to plan their next trip.
Crete is mentioned first and foremost in the report, with extremely favourable comments and stunning photographs that give readers who have not visited Greece a good first impression of the culinary experience that a visit to a Greek island offers.
The reference to Greece’s largest island begins with the reminder that it is the model for the Mediterranean Diet and has been designated a European Gastronomic Destination.
As the author of this report explains in her detailed report, the culinary 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 artefacts found there, such as food and wine glasses, date back to that time or even earlier, as archaeologists discovered in the palace of Knossos.
It is added that agricultural produce was stored there by the Minoans, but it was also the site of many celebrations.
“The enjoyment of food and an appreciation for good health go hand in hand on this vast island, where some 40 million olive trees thrive. Many regard Cretan cuisine as the model for the hugely popular Mediterranean Diet, which has been scientifically proven to promote longevity. In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers found that Cretans had remarkably low rates of heart disease and chronic conditions. They attributed the islanders’ good health to a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil, seasonal fruit and vegetables, pulses and whole grains, and limited consumption of meat and dairy products,” states the article on the Cretan culinary destination.
“Today, from the arid, rocky slopes of remote Sfakia in the south-west to the wineries around Heraklion, new generations of chefs proudly uphold their family heritage, with dishes such as thyme honey, nutty Gruyère and fiery raki gracing 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 snails and vegetables in pots over an open 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.”.
He then adds that “half an hour’s drive north lies the port city of Chania, where the traditional taverna Chrysostomos serves generous portions of smoked lamb, simply seasoned with salt and slow-cooked in olive oil to bring out the full flavour. Meanwhile, in Chania’s Tabakaria neighbourhood, once a centre for tanneries, Periplus combines the island’s finest ingredients with modern creations. Think dishes such as amaranth with celeriac cream, a simple salad with tangy mizithra cheese, or a… sashimi of the catch of the day drizzled with tangy citrus. All of these are best enjoyed 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 feature are, in order, Kelowna in Canada, Hawaii, Buon Ma Thuot in Vietnam, the Czech Republic, Lucknow in India, the northern provinces of Colombia, train journeys through picturesque landscapes, southern Tasmania in Australia, Singapore, Somerset in England, Sonora in Mexico, Tenedos, Minneapolis in the USA and Cape Town in South Africa, whilst at the end, TV presenter Anthony Porowski adds London.
Source: kathimerini.gr