OLIVES AND OLIVE PASTES

Olives

For modern Greeks, since the beginnings of civilisation, the olive fruit and its oil have been one of the absolute necessities of everyday life. Some of the most famous and possibly the tastiest amongst the various olive varieties cultivated in Greece are the dark-skinned Kalamata olives. But beyond these you’ll also find a plentiful of olives from all over the country: Green olives from Halkidhiki, giant olives from the Peloponnese, small olives from Crete, and many more.

All the packaging we carry in our store is deemed “safe to fly” and, in most cases, can be carried on board with your carry-on luggage. Especially where olives are concerned, most of our products are sealed in vacuum, which offers the best combination of lightweight and convenience when packing to travel.

 

 

Olive pastes

Frequently offered as a welcoming snack, at any Greek table, olive paste has become something of an art. Every restaurant makes its own, and if you consider the wide variety of olives that constitute its base and the many recipes that are produced using olive paste you’ll end up with a huge number of resulting pastes, dressings, and sauces. Olive paste has been the secret ingredient of the Greek cuisine for a long time. Maybe it’s time you discovered it!

 

 

OLIVE OIL

Greek olive oils

The main ingredient you will probably find in just about every Greek dish is none other than extra virgin olive oil. It has been used in Greek cuisine ever since the ancient times and its consumption has been linked with longevity and good health. In fact, Greece holds the record of the largest consumption of olive oil in the world with over 26 litres per person per year. The olive oil produced in the island of Crete as well as in the Peloponnese is known for its strong and full flavour and its high quality. Olive oil is being produced all over Greece and there are literally thousands of producers throughout the country.

 

Our selection

In our store we offer a well-balanced selection of premium extra virgin olive oils, so that you’ll find the flavour and intensity that works for you; from mild-flavoured low intensity to intensive, fully flavoured olive oils our selection will satisfy all tastes. All our olive oils are of premium quality (extra virgin or better) and we avoid blended oils (typical super-market quality) in favour of smaller producers and single-area yields.

 

 

Spices & Recipes

SPICES

Spices add colour and richness to any meal, they bring out the best flavours of every ingredient in either a subtle or a strong way, and they have become an essential ingredient in Greek cooking. The number of herbs and spice-producing plants that grow naturally in Greece is impressive and thanks to the Mediterranean climate and the rich Greek soil they are also exceptionally aromatic.

 

 

Recipes & Mixes

Whether vegetables, meat or fish, in Greece you will find many unique recipes. In our store we offer various spice mixes that are used in typical Greek dishes. So, besides the typical blends for barbeque, chicken, pasta, etc that you’ll find in the Greek cuisine, we also offer recipes for Greek Salad, Stuffed Tomatoes, Moussaka, and other unique dishes. Furthermore, you’ll find many recipes that will help you prepare these dishes yourself.

 

 

 

 

Honey & Sweets

HONEY

Greek honey is placed with the best tasting honeys in the world, owing its unique flavour and qualities to the diverse flora, abundance of sunshine and dry climate of Greece. Greece’s low humidity results in a thicker, high quality honey yielding a superior, unequalled flavour. Honey can never be produced by a single herb as the bees will fly around to collect the needed nutrients from the environment around them. On the other hand, most honey is produced in areas with specific natural characteristics. The most popular kind of honey in Greece is thyme honey, which will normally be a combination of thyme, flowers, and several dry herbs. Flower honey is a close second, followed by tree honey, especially pine, and orange honey which sets a category of its own.

 

 

SWEETS

Greek desserts are characterized by the dominant use of honey which is generally preferred over sugar. They are often complemented with various nuts as well as with dry fruits. The most representative of Greek pastries is Baklavas and Kataifi, two similarly crunchy, nutty and honey-doused desserts.

 

 

 

If one’s tastes tend toward something more sugary, then Loukoumi, a soft, jelly-like dessert, will not fail to satisfy.

Kourabhie, traditionally prepared during Christmas time is also a great choice that belongs to the cookie family of sweets. It is based on almonds and butter, commonly topped with powder sugar and constitutes the Greek version of the butter cookie.

 

 

Another popular sweet, based on sesame paste, and the main course on Clean Monday, is Halva. It’s of a crumby, crispy texture and it’s usually filled with vanilla, chocolate, nuts, or a combination thereof.

 

Particularly popular in the Aegean islands, but also in western Peloponnese is a sweet made entirely of sesame and honey that we call Pasteli. You will find it either in a soft or a hard form, depending on the region, and it will often be supplemented with various nuts, usually almonds.

 

 

Another sweet, Mandolato, very much like the common nougat, is very popular in the Ionian islands. Their version of Mandolato is placed between two thin layers of waffle and will usually contain dried fruits and nuts.

 

 

In the Cycladic islands, in the middle of the Aegean Sea, peanuts are being treated with sugar and sesame to become a very popular sweet snack. Nowadays, it’s not unusual to find Caramelled peanuts dipped in dark chocolate.

Which brings us to everyone’s favourite: Chocolate. In our store you will find handmade chocolate made with local ingredients, which convey a unique flavour. Don’t miss it!