tours
GREEK COOKING

FOOD DISCOVERY TOUR

LESVOS FEAST - A Feast of Living Tradition

Get a close and intimate view of life on Lesvos, the jewel of the of the Greek Aegean Islands where the villagers still grow and cook their own food and  drink, according to traditional recipes handed down over many generations.

Cook traditional dishes, visit mountain vineyards and olive groves, bake bread, make cheese, cook fish for your lunch but most of all enjoy!

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Depending on the dates/season you select, you may:

Ø       Eat fresh sheep's milk yogurt, thyme honey from local beehives, free range eggs and seasonal fruit freshly picked.

Ø       Harvest your lunch of beetroot, horta, purslane (wild greens), green onions and ripe tomatoes fresh from the garden.

Ø       Make cheese, have a go at milking the ewes and goats, or leave it to the shepherd.

Ø       Bake bread using the local hard wheat.

Ø       Have dinner at the local taverna, and be entertained by traditional live Greek music.

Ø       Collect sea-salt "afrala" from the Polichnitos Salt Pans, which produce the whitest salt in the Med.

Ø       Visit an old restored water mill, which grinds wheat for organic homemade pasta, sold at “Fortnum & Masons”.

Ø       Visit a very old olive press, now a museum of oil producing tools and traditional cooking implements.

Ø       Visit the only winery in the island, which has revived commercial wine making in Lesvos, with an organic twist.

Ø       Visit the best ouzo distillery in the island, which exports one of the two most famous products of the island (the other is olive oil), around the world.

Ø       Visit a local vegetable garden – see where the food you eat during your stay comes from

ACCOMODATION

The tours are based at our accommodation the MADONNA APARTMENTS HOTEL at the charming seaside resort of Vatera, South Lesvos, The rooms are overlooking the 8 km long beach and the Aegean Sea with private sea view balconies and a scenic terrace bar for breakfast and evening drinks. See the HOTEL DETAILS for photographs of view of rooms and location.

THE GROUP

Groups will be limited to a maximum of 8 people, with daily trips to different locales in the surrounding area providing a rich variety in the gastronomic Lesvos experience.

Knowledgeable professionals with special interests in various aspects of Greek food, life, tradition and culture, will guide each holiday group. “Rubbing elbows" with the local producers, cooks and craftsmen is at the heart of our program.

PROGRAMME

Day 1 - THURDSAY

Transfer from airport to Vatera and MADONNA Apartments – your accommodation for the week. Welcome drink, orientation in the resort, learns a few Greek words, familiarize with Greek eating traditions, and swim.

Light supper of assorted mezedakia with selected wines

Day 2 - FRIDAY

Traditional Greek Breakfast at MADONNA

Workshop #1 - Cooking with wild greens and herbs – a skilful village cook will prepare a pita (pie) filled with wild greens, herbs and cheese. She will demonstrate pastry making. Also preparation of dips: tzatziki, taramosalata, skordalia & humus. This is your lunch. Discussion on gathering and the many uses of wild greens and herbs.

Afternoon visit to Vrisa – visit the Natural History Museum, churches, square & do some shopping.

Workshop #2 Visit the Agricultural Women’s Co-operative in Polichnitos. They will demonstrate their recipes of local traditional desserts. Opportunity to buy of their products.

Visit to the village Confectionary store for a pretty thrilling experience.

Return to Vatera for dinner at Taverna Kalamakia.

Day 3 - SATURDAY

Traditional Greek Breakfast at MADONNA

Workshop #3 – Visit the local dairy at Lisvori for Cheese Tasting & Buy

Have a fish/shell fish lunch cooked the traditional way, at a seaside taverna.

Workshop #4 - Stews - Beef Stifado and Kokkora (Cockerel) Pilaf Learn how to cook these traditional main dishes at Taverna Kalamakia.  This is your dinner.

Day 4 - SUNDAY

Traditional Greek Breakfast at MADONNA

All day Island safari to North or West Lesvos; visit traditional villages, monasteries, a castle, a winery, swim. Lunch in a mountain village with a range of local delicacies (mezedakia) at a Traditional Taverna, an opportunity to sample the great diversity of traditional plates created by generations of cooks

On our return south, dinner will be at a traditional taverna at Lisvori with a menu of appetisers and grilled meats & selected wines & live Greek music

WE CAN ORGANISE / ARRANGE THE FLIGHTS

in connection with Olympic Airways.

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