Greece is an endless paradise of flavors and aromas. Each place has its traditional products that you must try if you consider yourself a foodie. So, we put together a Greece food map to see some of the most famous traditional products around Greece and the places that you can find them.
Raki – Crete
Everyone that reads my articles can easily spot my love for the island of Crete, so, we are going to set the pin of our food map to the island of Crete. The original name of this alcoholic drink is tsikoudia, and you can easily find it everywhere in Crete.
The grapes for the production of raki are the remains of the pressed grapes during the winemaking process. It’s a grape-based drink and quite strong in alcohol (around 40% to 65% abv.). It is served chilled, and it’s also offered as a digestif after a meal in most tavernas in Crete.
Read more: Raki vs. Ouzo!
Mastiha – Chios
A fantastic product that can only be found on the island of Chios. Mastiha or mastic is a hardened sap harvested from the mastic tree that grows on the island. The look of the sap is like a tiny transparent, crystal clear to yellowish rock that is the source of magic for various traditional products of Chios.
You can find mastiha in cookies, candies, chocolate, coffee, and even hand creams. But most often, you will see in loukoumia (gelatin candies with various flavors, cubed and covered with icing sugar), in chewing gums (super popular in Greece), and in liquors (that you must 100% try them in cocktails or even straight up in a chilled glass)
Saffron – Kozani
If your food map shows Kozani as your destination, then you are in the place which is the homeland of saffron, aka saffron crocus, the most expensive spice by weight that can reach prices such as 5000$ per kilo!
This thread-like spice is from the flower of crocus sativus, and it has an intense flavor of metallic honey with grassy notes and strong coloring capabilities. It is often used in small quantities in food as a garnish or in traditional liquors for flavoring. It is renounced as the best in the world by the Greek City Times. And its also a unique ingredient in the Greek cuisine!
Vinsanto wine – Santorini
A fantastic Greek island that is famous worldwide for the breathtaking sunsets that guests can enjoy there. But this is not the only thing that Santorini is renowned for. This island is the core of an ancient volcano erupted around 1640 to 1620 BC. So, the soil of this island is full of volcanic ash and rocks. So, this is the perfect place for grapes to grow with soil rich in minerals for the vine.
Vinsanto is an ancient winemaking tradition of Santorini that you must leave the grapes to dry in the sun for around half a month. Then the grapes undergo the winemaking procedure with only the natural sugars and acids of the dried grape. Last but not least, the wine must be aged for at least 2 years. The final product must be at least 9% abv for it to be called the traditional Vinsanto wine. Learn more about Santorini wines.
A team of foodies, cooks, and travelers. Alios Tours was founded out of our passion for Greek food. We share the delicious side of Greece.
