START BOOKING YOUR TRIP TO
** Please note that we get a small commission if you book via our referral links. We use this to invest in new foodie content and to update the Greece Foodies website.
In this blog post, we are listing all the important and traditional products of Naxos. Take a thorough look below!
Naxos island has been self-sufficient since antiquity due to its size, strategic location in the Aegean Sea, and natural abundance, and produces a profusion of traditional goods. Its olive oil and fruits were famous across the archipelago, and its wine was compared to the nectar of the Gods.
List of traditional products of Naxos.
1. Potatoes and wine
Naxos is well known for its traditional products, including the Naxian potato, Naxian cheese, and Naxian wine. The Naxian potato is a variety of potatoes that is native to the island of Naxos. Naxian cheese is a type of cheese made from sheep’s milk, and it has a strong, pungent flavor. Naxian wine is made from grapes grown on the slopes of Mount Zeus, and it has a rich, fruity flavor.
2. Musical instruments
Naxos is also known for its traditional musical instruments, including the Naxian lyre and the Naxian flute. The Naxian lyre is a stringed instrument that is played with a bow, and it has a beautiful, mellow sound. The Naxian flute is a wind instrument that is made from reeds, and it has a clear, piercing sound.
3. Traditional dances
Naxos is also known for its traditional dances, such as the Naxian Dance of the Sun and the Naxian Dance of the Moon. The Naxian Dance of the Sun is a dance that celebrates the rising of the sun, and it is often performed at dawn. The Naxian Dance of the Moon is a dance that celebrates the phases of the moon, and it is often performed at night.
4. Traditional food
Naxos is also known for its traditional food, such as Naxian cheese pies and Naxian lamb stew. Naxian cheese pies are made with Naxian cheese and eggs, and they have a rich, cheesy flavor. Naxian lamb stew is made with Naxian lamb and vegetables, and it has a hearty, filling flavor.
5. Zamboni
Locals in Apiranthos believe that for the Zamboni to be a success, the pig should be butchered when northerly winds blow since the flesh is thoroughly drained only then.
After draining, the entire leg is coated with a salt, pepper, and cinnamon combination and stored in a coarse salt-covered chest. It is let to ripen for around six months.
6. Citron liquor
One of three Greek apéritifs marketed with a Protected Designation of Origin is Naxos’ famed citron liqueur. Citron groves are grown on the Eggares and Sagri plains, as well as in the hinterland valleys, where winters are warm and summers are pleasant. Citron leaves are used to make the liquor “Naxos citron,” while the fruit itself is used in a variety of spoon sweets.
The creation of the citron-flavored liquor, initially known as kitrorako, dates back centuries, but around 1870, a new distillation from alcohol and citron leaves was invented – today’s well-known Naxos citron liqueur.
7. Honey
Another traditional product of Naxos is honey! Bees mostly consume thyme and heather, as well as sage, oregano, and spring flowers throughout the summer. Thyme honey accounts for the majority of the 35 to 40 tons of Greek naxian honey produced each year, with the remainder consisting primarily of heather and spring flower variations.
8. Arseniko cheese
A final traditional one of our list of products of Naxos is arseniko cheese. It is a spicy kefalotyri cheese made in the traditional fashion in the pens of Naxos’ uplands, utilizing whole milk from sheep or goats and whey.
The cheese is drained in special baskets called tirovola once it has become firmer. It has a light golden tint and first tastes sweet, but after a few weeks of ripening, it becomes peppery.
If you’re looking for authentic Naxian products, be sure to check out the local markets and shops during your visit to the island. We hope you found our article insightful and that you will try all of the above!
