The most relaxing part of our vacation was in Crete, the biggest island in Greece. We stayed in the village of Elounda, the more remote and secluded part of the island with gorgeous views, luxurious hotels, and fine dining.
We spend a few days, just swimming in the pool, walking around, and enjoying the views.
On one of the days we went to explore
Knossos, the archeological site of the palace of legendary King Minos. This was the major center of Minoan civilization, the oldest and most advanced civilization of the Bronze age.
The palace was a very large complex, a maze of various multi-functional rooms, and it served the source for the legend of the Labyrinth, built to keep the Minotaur within its walls who was eventually destroyed by the Greek hero Theseus.
The most important structure is the Throne Room featuring the actual throne of King Minos.
Minoan columns in restored colors can be seen nearby.
In the central courtyard of the palace, the bull games were held and some of the stories of the Minotaur may have originated from those games.
The bull games as well as other scenes from the everyday lives of Minoan people are depicted in frescoes, a few of which can be seen at the Knossos site and others are found at the nearby Archaeological Museum of Herakleion.
After visiting Knossos, we drove to
Peza Union Cooperative center, an organization that produces excellent wines and top quality olive oil.
Here, we did a
wine tasting of four different wines. First, we tried a Peza white, a light white wine produced from the traditional variety "Vilana", very refreshing and perfect on a hot summer day. The second wine was Malvasia, an aromatic white wine with hints of apricot. One of the reds was a Syrah, blended with more traditional Kotsifali and Mantilari grapes. The final wine we tasted was Peza Red, a dry red wine that is a blend of Kotsifali and Mantilari grapes with bold fruity flavors.
We also learned about the production of olive oil. The olives are grown here organically, and are extracted using traditional techniques through cold extraction. The resulting fine extra virgin olive oil has an authentic Cretan flavor and is an essential part of the famous Cretan diet.
Cretan diet, in general, is a healthy lifestyle eating with large amounts of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and olive oil; moderate amounts of dairy and seafood; and limited amounts of meats. Specifically, as it is the best example of this diet, it is referred to Dakos, a Greek "bruschetta". Dakos are composed of Cretan rusks, which are twice-baked barley breads, dressed with olive oil, tomatoes, oregano, and sprinkled with feta.
Dakos in Crete
Although it is not easy to find Cretan rusks in United States, these can be made at home by slow baking barley or whole wheat bread slices. After the rusks are ready, it takes only a few minutes to assemble the delicious Dakos. Good extra virgin olive oil is important. I was fortunate to find an olive oil from Crete in my supermarket.
How to prepare Dakos
Ingredients: (makes 1 Dakos)
A large barley or whole wheat bread slice, about 1 inch thick (I used a bread combining organic barley and whole wheat flour)
1 medium tomato
1-2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled or grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried oregano flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 135 F. Bake the bread slice(s) for about 4-5 hours until dry and crisp. (Can be made ahead and stored in a plastic ziploc bag).
Peel and grate the tomato. Run water quickly through the rusk to moisten it slightly. Top with grated tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta cheese, and season with black pepper and oregano. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil all over.
