I ended up celebrating my nameday last night at a local restaurant close to our favorite beach. It's only open in the summer, and it serves mainly tourists. It's one of those places you could probably count on serving tourist food. Having said that, it also offers tourists value for money in terms of presenting the well known symbols that are often considered as The Best of Greece. Note that I didn't say The Best of Crete - for that, you will have to make a greater effort than to pick something close and handy to where you are staying on a Cretan summer holiday.
First up, the outdoor setting under a shady umbrella:
Outdoor dining is considered a luxury in Northern Europe because of the generally not-so-reliable summer weather. In Greece, you can rely on sunny warm weather throughout the summer months, until at least the end of September.
Next, the symbolic olive accessories:
The oilve theme is not just for tourists. While we're renovating outdoors, I'm thinking of what I'd like to change indoors, once we begin that part too (next year). While on holiday in Holland, I bought some olive- and vegetable-themed material to make new curtains. Our own kitchen table contains a set of vessels like these ones - this olive-based theme will complement the curtains. I'm going to start looking around now before the tourist shops close...
More Greek holiday symbols - the loom woven look:
Loom weaving is now very much considered to be an old-fashioned textile art. Even though this item was machine-woven, it still has that classic Greek loom design and colour. Every culture has some kitsch involved - this is part of Greek kitsch.
Classic Greek taverna favorites - calamari and fries:
No matter how touristy the menu is at a Greek beach taverna, calamari and fries never fails to please. These tasted as good as they look.
Olive paste (this was served with Lurpak butter pottles):
Well, I did say this was a tourist restaurant! Although the olive is a symbol of Greece, olive paste is not really so widespread; I've only bought it once in my life, and I am not in a rush to buy it again!
At the end of the day, what counts for me after a meal out, is how much I enjoyed the evening. I had a great time. I hope I can repeat the fun some time in the future.
©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.
First up, the outdoor setting under a shady umbrella:
Outdoor dining is considered a luxury in Northern Europe because of the generally not-so-reliable summer weather. In Greece, you can rely on sunny warm weather throughout the summer months, until at least the end of September.
Next, the symbolic olive accessories:
More Greek holiday symbols - the loom woven look:
Classic Greek taverna favorites - calamari and fries:
Olive paste (this was served with Lurpak butter pottles):
Well, I did say this was a tourist restaurant! Although the olive is a symbol of Greece, olive paste is not really so widespread; I've only bought it once in my life, and I am not in a rush to buy it again!
At the end of the day, what counts for me after a meal out, is how much I enjoyed the evening. I had a great time. I hope I can repeat the fun some time in the future.
©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.
May God grant you many years on your nameday, Maria! ♥ Those olive salt and pepper shakers are beautiful. We got olive tapenade here that was much like that...I agree with you, it's just OK, I'd rather have fresh olives.
ReplyDeleteNIce to hear you name day went well and you enjoyed it. Being from Denmark I think it is kind of fun that you had Lurpak butter !
ReplyDeletesmall pats of butter are usually Lurpak in crete, even though there are alternatives, but they are less used
Deletebread and butter is never servedin a cretan taverna, but here, we were presented with this because the restaurant is mainly aimed at tourists - the menu was also organised with the tourist in mind (there were pizza and pasta sections, and deserts like chocolate pots and apple crumble) - but it was a nice place for chilling out, and the prices were really good (about €10 per person without alcoholic drinks)
A day short, but better late than never at all.
ReplyDeleteΧρόνια πολλά, Maria. All the best to the whole OC family.
Is there a traditional greeting for belated wishes, or is that just not done?
no, in greece, a feast is said to last three days!=, soi i guess it's never really too late!
DeleteYou're right, it's never too late.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Panagia in our area for the Dormition of Virgin Mary. Have you or Mr. OC ever been to the monastery in Kolymbari? On the 15th, we all walk to the monastery to honor the icon and then back home by candle light. I remember one of our neighbor ladies explaining to us why some of the more traditional treats were meant to keep for several days. This allowed nourishment 'to go' for those who had traveled some distance to make their way back home without being hungry along their journey. I cannot recall, but some of the food was very specific to NW Crete as well as for the Dormition Panagia.