Cretan Cuisine

Crete has one of the oldest and most tasty gastronomic traditions in the world. The history of the Cretan Diet and Cretan Cuisine is lost in the mists of time. It is a sequence of a tradition that come down to us from Minoan era.

Judging by the finding of archaeological excavations, we can assume that 4000 years ago the ancient Cretans, the Minoans, used to consume almost the same products as the contemporary islanders. Large jars for storing olive oil, cereals, pulses and honey were found in the Minoan palaces. We can also witness the amazing world of the Cretan plants and herbs depicted on murals and icons.

As the centuries went by, the Cretan Cuisine would gather all the knowledge and experience that were passed on from generation to generation. In the meantime, through the literary works of Athenaeus, Homer, Hippocrates and many other ancient Greek writers, we have learnt about various ways of preparing healthy gourmet dishes. While the urban families would prefer elaborate, foreign-born dishes, the rural people would still rely on nature for their survival: wild herbs, seeds, pulses, olives and olive oil. All of these enriched with the power of their wild imagination. They could cook these products in numerous ways to make them tasty and rich in flavor.

The habit helped them to survive under extremely adverse conditions, when the island was occupied by the Arabs (824-961), the Venetians (1204-1669) and the Ottomans (1669-1898). The conquerors kept changing but nothing could change the soul, the religion, the language and… the cuisine of Cretans! This is our heritage, a legacy that today proves to be invaluable, since the international scientific community talks about, not only the Cretan Cuisine, but also about the “miracle of the Cretan Diet”, the most typical example of the Mediterranean diet, the best and most complete healthy diet in the world!

There is no doubt that the traditional diet of Cretans in responsible for their excellent health and longevity. It is imperative that we focus on and take advantage of this precious heritage of ours.

You can taste Cretan Cuisine in the excellent Greek restaurant «Peskesi».

Peskesi is an attempt for you to enjoy the Cretan cuisine and to reveal its secrets. The main ingredients of our meals are Cretan natural products. We aim to emphasize the forgotten traditional Cretan flavors and tastes.

(Kapetan xaralampi 6-8, Heraklion, Tel: +30 2810 28887)

www.peskesicrete.gr