This story is typical of the fun and

the humour that Cretans are so well known for. It portrays their outlook on life in a classic and typical manner that brings a smile to everyone’s face. Hearing a story like this we are reminded of the poetic duets that are sung in the Tavernas on balmy evenings when everyone is enjoying themselves and laughing loudly at the lyrics that the songsters make up as they sing along together.

Farming in Crete is important as most of what is grown on the island form the basic ingredients for the famous Cretan Diet

Considered to be one of the healthiest diets in the world, rural Cretan men rarely suffer from any form of heart disease. Cretan men live to a ripe old age with the beautiful smile lines carved into their tanned and smiling faces. Many foreign dieticians have studied this diet to understand just why this is the case and they discovered that the reason was that the Cretan diet contains the much loved Cretan olive oil, and in plentiful amounts! It was discovered that the oil’s high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants were a contributing factor for Cretan men to be so healthy and to live such long lives.

In Crete olive oil is used in just about every dish and speciality, it is the basis of many wonderfully simple recipes that are not only delicious because of the olive that is used in them but healthy too.

Soups, stew and vegetables are cooked in masses of olive oil and the refreshing salads that are so important to the Cretan Diet have olive oil dribbled generously all over them. There is just no getting away from olive oil when it comes to Cretan cuisine and this is why their diet is now known to be the healthiest on earth.

When visitors first come to Crete it does take a while to understand their love of olive oil, but thinking back to ancient times it was one of the main produces that they Minoans traded for the valuable jewels and precious metals. Egyptians and other races would trade these things in order to obtain this precious Cretan olive oil. So it is no wonder that the oil they produced meant such a lot to the ancient civilisations on Crete. In those days olive oil was as precious as petroleum oil is to us today. The very important difference being that ancient civilisations did not harm the earth with their hundreds of olive groves that adorned their beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Diners can enjoy Cretan food and sample the many local drinks that accompany Greek dishes so well. It is normal for the locals to dine late and meals can last a long time because it is considered a very social affair. Visitors to Crete soon fall into this wonderfully relaxed routine and appreciate the fact that Tavernas around

the island will serve meals well into the night. The lovely thing about dining in Crete is that no one is in a hurry, so diners can sit and enjoy their meals for as long as the like in a very relaxed, friendly and entertaining environment.

In Crete hospitality and laughter are synonymous with being happy with life and visitors who discover a favourite Taverna will want to share their experience with friends and family because nobody leaves these establishments without having eaten well and enjoyed themselves so much that they want to come back and the wonderful experience all over again.

Tavernas in Crete are very typical of the culture that has evolved over the centuries and the food that is served, although simple, is deliciously prepared using only the most natural ingredients mixed with plenty of aromatic fresh herbs that are so popular in Greek cuisine.

Many tourists love the ‘meze’ which is always served in all the Tavernas. Meze consists of many starters all served at the same time and is one of the most delicious combinations of tastes that simply excites the palate. These starters are hand prepared, some wrapped in vine leaves ‘dolmades’, others fried to perfection,  ‘octopus’ and of course everything is prepared with the best olive oil that is so abundant in Crete. Main courses are mouth-wateringly good with menus always including well known dishes like ‘Moussaka’ or stuffed aubergines, ‘Imam Baldi’ which is probably less well known to the foreign visitor but just as good to eat.

The wine served in Tavernas in Crete is more like port and sherry to the foreign pallet but this does not mean that it isn’t some of the nicest home-brewed wine  a visitor will ever have the pleasure of tasting. It accompanies the Greek dishes to perfection. Every visitor who has experienced the wonderful atmosphere and liveliness when dining in a Cretan Taverna knows that it is unique to this delightful and peacefully tranquil Mediterranean island.

Exploring the coast or driving inland in a rented car is the best way of discovering ‘off the beaten track’ places that are so typical to Crete. Visitors will come across some mountain villages that appear to have been frozen in time giving the tourists the impression that the clock has been turned back a few centuries and it is here that they will discover some true treasures when it comes to dining in a traditional Cretan Taverna.

Enjoy.

This is an article about a top specialty in Crete, which are popular all over the rest of Greece as well. It is the traditional Greek Salad, also known as “Horiatiki” Salad (it means the salad of the village!). This salad contains tasty but also important ingredients for us. To make a bowl of this traditional salad, you will need -approximately for two people-2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, olive oil (try pure virgin Cretan olive oil for better taste), 1 onion and feta cheese.

Without that last ingredient, the salad will be a common one instead of being unique and traditional. Slice the cucumber, the tomatoes and the onion to pieces, add the feta cheese and the olive oil on top. Also add some salt and some oregano and you are ready to taste a salad that is not only tasty, but healthy as well. Enjoy.

Cretans are considered to be so healthy because of the Cretan food. The Mediterranean cuisine and especially Cretan cuisine is one that nutritionists suggest as one of the best worldwide. Products of Crete are of top quality and are as pure and natural as they can be.

For instance, there is the famous olive oil produced there, which is used in a variety of recipes, like salads, pies an so on. Other products of Crete are the top quality honey and some kind of cheese like mitzithra and malaka cheese. Last but not least, Cretans produce a special kind of dry crispy bread with which the “dakos” are made. Cretans also produce the famous Feta cheese which you will sure find to be delicious! Just remember to taste as many Cretan specialities as you can when you visit the island.