Food History and Heritage of Crete, Greece.

Culinary Heritage

Cretan food heritage can be greatly attributed to the many invader’s who have introduced ingredients to this island. Food writer, Clifford A. Wright shares that the landscape of this island includes many mountains in which the locals made the center of life. This practice made the presence of civilization scarce closer to the sea. Lack of locals near the sea made Crete less defensive in the invasion of pirates or other countries, who were attracted to this island due to its many harbors. However, in these invasions the trespassers often left a bit of food culture that would then be adopted into the culinary heritage of Cretan cuisine. For example, the use of sesame seeds and cumin from the Turkish or the use of honey in both sweet and savory dishes inspired from Byzantine occupancy (Wright, 2022). This is reminiscent of the work done by Nicholas Tselementes. He was inspired by the cooking technique of the French that included ingredients like cream and butter which were not previously present in Greek cooking. He then used these techniques to infiltrate traditional Greek recipes and adapted them to include these more modern, and seemingly more lavish ingredients. (Gaifyllia, 2021).

Although the Cretan food heritage has been shaped by their history, they have also been able to create a name for themselves in the world of cuisine. Many researchers have actually found interest in studying the diet of Cretans. These researchers have established that the Cretan practices of eating locally grown, simple foods has contributed to the general longevity of the people of Crete (Ball, 2003). This finding piqued the interest of those near and far and more individuals became interested in the so-called "Cretan/Mediterranean diet". This led the culture surrounding food in Crete to almost reject modernity as they wanted to create the idea that the old ways of cooking were most ideal, especially regarding health. This keeps the culinary heritage of Crete more skewed towards tradition and focused on agriculture to ensure optimal produce to be incorporated in the diet . This is evident as the cookbooks leaving this region often surround a lifestyle of eating seasonally and importance placed on locally grown foods (Ball, 2003).

Geography

Overall, in the past many centuries Greek cuisine has been affected very much by the history and changing geography in every region. The website, Aspruceeats.com explains that because of the geography of Greece, citizens have spent centuries combining “naturally grown and seasonal foods with the best herbs and spices to create simple, fabulous dishes” (Traditional Greek Cooking…). Some of the most popular foods that add to the culinary profile of Greece include sun-dried tomatoes, legumes, and more vegetables along with the iconic addition of olive-oil into almost every dish. This source also explains that because of the geography of where Greece is located, fish and meat are eaten much less frequently, as opposed to our typical cuisine in the United States.

When looking specifically at the geography of Crete, it is an island located south of Greece’s mainland towards Northern Africa. The positioning of Crete in relation to the other Greek islands, also contributes to the unique culinary heritage that has developed there. According to a study done by John-loannis Vourdoubas, the main foods grown in Crete based on the climate there include many different vegetables (including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers,etc.), various fruits (oranges, lemons, grapes, etc.), honey, wine, olives, and more. The meat they produce there is mainly from sheep, goats, and chickens that are locally bred. Because of this, the article states, “The Cretan diet is famous all over the world due to its healthy impacts. It is based on a high consumption of local vegetables, green herbs, fruits and olive oil, moderate consumption of cheese, fish and red wine and low consumption of eggs, milk and meat” (Vourdoubas, John-Ioannis). Most of these locally grown, healthy ingredients are the main components of famous local Cretan dishes.

The idea that they used their geography and climate as a factor into what goes into traditional recipes is fascinating compared to other regions and countries who rely on importing the majority of the foods that play a role in their culinary profile. The geography and climate also contributes to the quality of the foods that are produced in Crete. There are protective designations of origins or PDOs imposed on some of the products from Crete that act as a set of rules to ensure that products from this region are recognized by the local climate and general geography that effect the quality of the product.

Sunday Lunch

Sunday meals are typically different from your everyday meals in Greek culture. According to Sutton’s article “Secrets from the Greek Kitchen”, Sunday is when special meals are prepared throughout all of Greece. Sunday is also a day when one might make a dish that takes more time. This significant time invested in cooking demonstrates the value of cooking. The article argues that “Value emerges in action; it is the process by which a person’s invisible ‘potency’ -their capacity to act- is transformed into concrete, perceptible forms… One invests one’s energies in those things one considers most important or most meaningful” (Sutton). The types of dishes vary across all cultures, but the most typical Sunday meal consists of either fish or chicken with potatoes or a variety of other dishes on the side. Usually there are no more than 4-5 dishes and bread is essential. 

According to the Greek Gastronomy website, the most important items of the Cretan land are olives and olive oil, grapes, citrus, and generally fruit, dairy, sour sausages, wild herbs and vegetables, and many other items. The Cretan diet today is known all over the world and olive oil is the greatest secret of the Cretan diet and the longevity of the Cretans. If one were to sit down for a Sunday lunch in the Cretan region, the table would have a variety of delicious traditional delicacies including fried snails, lamb with wild herbs, smoked pork (apaki), dolmades - vine leaves usually stuffed with rice, or pork meat with celery. According to the website, Greeking.me, the Cretan cuisine is sparing regarding its variety of ingredients. Despite the fact that all dishes are rich in flavor, the traditional dishes of Crete can be cooked with just a handful of products. A Sunday dish in Crete most likely will consist of some sort of meat. The Cretans love snails and cook them in a variety of ways including stew, burbouri, with artichokes, etc. The lamb is usually baked in the oven and oftentimes accompanied by pilaf. One of their special recipes with meat is the Chania cake, made with four cheeses, lamb and mint. Lastly, the Cretan sausage and apki are two typical products of the island made by several producers. A majority of Sunday lunches consist of one of these meat dishes. Additionally, cheeses such as Mizithra and xinomyzithra accompany fresh fruit and are often served as an appetizer or dessert, according to the Greek Gastronomy website. 

According to incrediblecrete.gr, some of the traditional Cretan recipes listed are things like recipes with Cod or Chicken combined with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, and of course olives. All of these recipes have been passed down through generations as citizens of Crete have learned how to make delicious meals out of all of the fresh ingredients that are grown all around them. One dish that is representative of a Cretan Sunday Lunch would be Stewed Chicken with Peppers. This is a simple recipe that highlights the use of vegetables with the presence of peppers and tomatoes. The use of chicken could vary based on what is available during certain seasons, and even omitted all together. This stew would likely be accompanied by a white pilafi in order to round out the meal.

References

Ball, E.L. (2003). Greek Food After Mousaka : Cookbooks, "Local" Culture, and the Cretan Diet. Journal of Modern Greek Studies 21(1), 1-36.  doi:10.1353/mgs.2003.0003 .

Gaifyllia, N. (2021). “ The Tselementes effect on greek cooking”. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/tselementes-effect-greek-cooking-1705419

Sutton, D. E. “Secrets from the Greek Kitchen.” 2014, https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520280540.001.0001.

Thalassinou, Melina. “Cretan Cuisine: Our Favorite Cretan Recipes.” Greeking.me, https://greeking.me/blog/greek-food-guide/item/234-our-favorite-cretan-recipes.

Traditional Cretan Recipes. (2020, June 16). Incredible Crete. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.incrediblecrete.gr/en/cretan-recipes/

“Traditional Cuisine of Crete.” Greek Gastronomy Guide, 12 June 2021, https://www.greekgastronomyguide.gr/en/kriti/paradosiaki-kouzina/. 

Traditional Greek Cooking Is Nothing Like You Imagine It. (2021, May 18). The Spruce Eats. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.thespruceeats.com/tselementes-effect-greek-cooking-1705419

Vourdoubas, John-Ioannis. (2020). The Nexus Between Agriculture and Tourism in the Island of Crete, Greece. Journal of Agricultural Studies. 8. 393. 10.5296/jas.v8i2.16602.

Wright, C.A. (2022). “A brief introduction to the history and food of Crete”. Clifford A Wright. http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/topic_id/19/id/54/