Cretan food & drink

Specialities

Dakos: is a barley rusk softened in water then soaked in oil and tomato

Stifado: a stew made from the rabbit or lamb

Horta: wild greens picked in the hills and made into a vegetable dish.

Snails: prepared in a variety of ways

Cheese: Myzithra a sweet cheese

Graviera : a yellow cheese made from the ship milk.

Mezedes

Small appetisers a variety of small dishes served prior to the main meal.

Taramòsalata: Fish roe dip. Tzatziki: yogurt, cucumber, garlic dip
Kalamària: squid
Dolmades: stuffed wine leaves
Loukanika: small sausages
Bourekaki: small meat pie

Plus many more, mezedes can also be eaten as a main course, ask for a Pikilìa which is a serving of a variety of mezedes on a plate.

Soups

Psarosoupa: fish and vegetable soup
Fasolada: a filling bean soup
Avgolemona soupa: egg and lemon soup
Mayiritsa: a traditional soup made from offal, eaten mainly at easter.

Salads

Horiatiki salata: Village salad consists of peppers, olives, onions, tomatoes and feta cheese, olive oil and lemon dressing or vinegar.

Tomato Salad: consists of tomatoes, onions, cucumber and olives.

A salad served with bread and is a light and refreshing meal in the summer.

Main Courses

Mousaka: eggplant layered with minced meat, potatoes covered in a cheese sauce and baked.

Giouvetsi: lamb or veal casserole with pasta.

Soutzoukakia: spicy meet balls in a tomato sauce.

Loukanika: spicy sausage served with rice or potato.

This is just a few of the main courses; there are many more meat and fish dishes to try.

Drinks
Tea and coffee, Greek coffee is served in small cup without milk and is quite strong. The most popular is Nescafe. In the summer try Frapè, Nescafe served chilled with or without milk or sugar. Frapè is a refreshing drink in the heat of the summer.
Tea is not a choice of the Greeks, but can be bought.
Camomile tea, mountain tea

Soft drinks
The usual soft drinks can be bought here in cans and bottles.

Water is safe to drink from the tap, but if you prefer to drink bottled water, it is available in the shops and restaurants.

Milk: In the rural areas can be hard to find, but in the towns it is not a problem.

Beer
You can buy most of the European beers in Crete. But try the local beer Mythos, not as sweet as the European beers, but rather nice.

Wine
Wine has been produced on Crete for about 3000 years; the quality can be to the experts uneven. The best brands come from areas of Peza (Heraklion), Sitia, Dafnes and Arhanes. Try the house wines served in restaurants, (kokkino) red wine, (leko) with wine, (roze) rose, these are served in carafes and are usually cheaper than bottled wines. Try also out the popular local Retsina, Greek white wine, a perfect choice with seafood.

Spirits
The most popular spirit drunk in Crete is Raki, moonshine made from the stems of the grape vine. It is important to eat and drink a glass of water when drinking Raki, do not mix with other alcoholic drinks, this way you will avoid the worst of a hangover.

Ouzo is known as the Greek national spirit, but the Cretans prefer to drink their local Raki. Visit a local Kafeneio or ouzeri, and try out the traditional way of drinking Raki or ouzo, served with all plate with cheese, olives, tomato’s, octopus.

Ouzo is mainly a tourist drink an also must be drunk with water and something to eat. Most major brands of spirits are available in shops (Cava), and bars.

The Greek brandy Metaxa is also very popular among the tourist. Metxa is available in 3-5-7 stars.