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A wide biodiversity of flora combined with the Aegean summer sun is what helps produce this unique golden nectar.
Greek olive oils are highly regarded for their attractive, well-balanced flavor profiles of medium to intense fruitiness.
In the valleys of Amari, the sheep and goats that provide us with milk are fed to create an exceptional quality variety of cheese.
Olives are considered the basis of a correct and balanced Mediterranean diet. Greek olives makes them ideal for many recipes.
The delicious tradition of Greece has strong and perennial bases, roots that are based on a rich soil which for centuries has been a point of reference for our people.
Greek seasoning is a blend of various dried herbs and spices used in Mediterranean cuisines. The blend typically includes Mediterranean herbs and spices from the Greek land.
Our national food passes to another dimension of taste and conquers the position it deserves, with superior raw materials and fine ingredients from the greek nature.
The traditional recipe can be savory, filled with cheese, or sweet filled with cream then topped with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Other common savory versions are filled with spinach
Sweets & Delights with an abundance of irresistible flavors, in all sizes, sweet lovers will not know which to choose first. Get ready for a time travel with aromas of another era and enjoy them!
Herbs are the leaf part of a plant that is used in cooking – these can be used fresh or dried. Mix Spices, when a certain combination of herbs or spices is called for in a recipe, it is convenient to blend these ingredients beforehand
Small traditional units can make products of unparalleled quality as compared to large industries.This is not a moral choice, but a clear positioning that brings the quality up front, a nuclear and non-negotiable element.
Travel with the recipes of handmade sauces and chutneys and feel the quintessence of the taste. Add them to your cooking and enjoy! ”The detail makes the difference and the ingredient the uniqueness.”
Sweet Traditional Taste from all over Greece for every demanding palate
Oxalic acid and glycerin strips are a clever, effective and biological way of controlling the dangerous Varroa destructor mite that infects bee colonies. With proper application it kills Varroa mite at a rate of <97%, this is possible by adding glycerin to the strips making the preparation effective for 30 days. They are made exclusively in Greece. Ingredients: Pure cellulose strips, High purity Oxalic Acid 99.6%, High purity Glycerin pharmaceutical 98.5%.
Oxalic acid strips are cellulose strips immersed in a mixture of an appropriate ratio of high purity oxalic acid over 99.6% and vegetable refined glycerin over 98.5% purity, for biological use against varroa mite.
Oxalic acid is an organic acid with the chemical formula C2H2O4. It is a white solid, relatively strong carboxylic acid. It is found in nature in concentrations in sorrel (commonly nettle) and in many other plants
Vegetable Refined Glycerin is a clear, colorless, odorless, viscous, hygroscopic liquid that is widely used as an ingredient in cosmetics and food.
To summarize: All the ingredients used are suitable for biological control of Varroa by beekeepers.
The reasons why it is worth choosing the following method are the following:
As the bee passes over the strip the oxalic acid with which it is impregnated, as acid, ¨ literally ¨burns¨ the Varroa that is attached to its body. The mite does not tolerate such an acidic environment. So the way to fight is by contact, not by evaporation like other preparations.
The success of this treatment is based not only on the active substance oxalic acid, but also on glycerin.
The role of glycerin is to greatly slow down the sublimation of oxalic acid from the film due to the fact that it is quite thick and non-volatile. In this way we control and significantly slow down the release rate of oxalic acid to a point where it is still effective for a month, thus covering even a drone brood cycle (28 days), unlike other chemicals and sublimation foggers that in the presence of It may take 3-4 cycles of treatment to achieve the same result.
The appropriate addition of glycerin in combination with the cellulose of the film, makes oxalic acid to act prolonged, boosting the effectiveness of the preparation to over 90%, as a reference to the mortality in Varroa.
In this simple and effective way the tapes ensure effective control of one of the biggest enemies of beekeeping.
This treatment can be applied all seasons of the year (and in the presence of brood) subject to Winter. The reason is that this formulation works by the contact of the bee on the tape, when the ambient temperature is very low the bees gather close together making a sphere in which they move lazily, so we do not have many contacts of different bees with the strips, reducing possibly their effectiveness against varroa. It is also good to avoid the use of films in intense heat in summer.
As a reference, the amount of films in the beehive is proportional to its size, it is about 1 film folded per 2.5 frames of population, for example in the 10-beehive will be 4 films, while in a 5-beehive 2 films. On the two floors there are 4 films in the brood nest and 2-3 on the upper floor, even if it is 20 amps you do not need more than 7 films in total.
As for the position we put them should always be inside or as close as possible to the brood, the reason is that in the brood nest is always the highest concentration of varroa. Although the classic placement is right in the center of the brood for maximum contact, to prevent the acid from creating an empty zone between the brood, which often happens, you can with the same efficiency put them about 6-8 cm from the broom. center of the offspring left or right, but never out of the offspring.
Greek products of excellent quality and taste of pure greek raw materials from the inexhaustible richness of the Greek land and the valuable experience of local producers.
Copyright © 2022 All rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2022 All rights Reserved.
Raki or tsikoudia – the transparent fragrant nectar of the Cretan land – is not just a local product. It is the essence of a genuine tradition, the identity of a culture that is completely connected to the daily life of its proud inhabitants, expressing in the best way the Cretan hospitality.
It is called raki because it is a distillate produced from grape berries. It is also called tsikoudia, because the marcs in Crete are also called tsikouda. It is a different drink from Turkish raki or tsipouro, as they have aromatic additives and are double distilled, while tsikoudia is not. It contains about 37% alcohol, which ranks it among the strongest alcoholic beverages.
The distillation process
The remnants of the must during the production of the wine that are left from the pressing of the grapes, are sealed in barrels. They remain there until the fermentation is complete, when they are ready for distillation. The product that results after the completion of the fermentation is the marcs or tsikoudas. They are then transferred from the barrels to cauldrons, which are called rakokazana or abysses, where after being sealed as well and tightly as possible, they begin to boil and when they reach the required temperature, the distillation process begins. The very slow pace in the whole process ensures the best result. Each cauldron may take about three hours. From the lid of the cauldron, through a tube that is placed in it and cooled externally with water, the distillate flows and then the steam that comes out as tsikoudia is liquefied. The first distillate that will roll is considered stronger and which is called “protoraki”.
Tsikoudia in Crete, among other things, is a sign of friendship and kindness and a tool of communication. With a tsikoudia the Cretans wish but also welcome their visitors, with it they talk and fit in the cafes, with it they overcome the sorrows and resolve their differences.
The ritual character of raki production, the famous “kazanemata” last about two months (until mid-December) and evolve into a literally unique celebration. They are made in specially designed areas, where the rakokazano naturally holds a prominent position. Everyone celebrates by dancing around the “rumba” (the tube from which the first raki drips) like a group, tasting various accompanying traditional Cretan delicacies.
Rakomelo (Greek: ρακόμελο (or racomelo) from raki (ρακή) + meli (μέλι), meaning honey) is a Greek mixed alcoholic drink. It is a digestive spirit, traditionally used by many Greeks as a home remedy for a sore throat or cough.
Rakomelo is made by combining raki or tsipouro – two types of grape pomace brandy – with honey and several spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, or other regional herbs. It is produced in Crete and other islands of the Aegean Sea and on the Greek mainland, chiefly consumed during the winter as a warm drink. Rakomelo can be found as a bottled mixed drink in liquor stores, ready to be served.
The history of rakomelo is lost about seven centuries ago. It was a pot of raki, honey, cinnamon, cloves and herbs, made by the monks of Mount Athos in order to cure sore throats, colds, colds, coughs and stomach aches and whatever was left they put in the bottle and asked for a friend. their.
Rakomelo, then, is an alcoholic pot made from honey by the process of fermenting the sugars of honey with raki and various spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, but also various local herbs.
The raki blends harmoniously with the pine honey, the aromatic spices and the healing herbs and the result is a drink of exceptional quality and taste, the rakomelo!
Rakomelo due to its four basic ingredients, grappa, honey, herbs and spices, offers the body its beneficial and healing properties.
Raki is a product of single distillation from the grapefruit, the pressed grapes that remain 40 days in barrels where the fermentation takes place, is particularly digestible especially after a high-fat meal, but also when heated, offers immediate relief to the sore throat with soothing properties. in various forms of colds.
Honey, especially important as it contains flavonoids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, enzymes and amino acids – strong antioxidants – has a cardioprotective and anti-cancer effect, also has antibacterial properties, protects against ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders and .
Another key ingredient in rakomelo is cinnamon and cloves.
Cinnamon is used in cases of atony, while it relieves overworked muscles, is a good source of magnesium and iron, is warming, sweating, improves kidney function and is considered ideal for treating indigestion, colic and diarrhea.
Tsipouro is a popular grape-distilled spirit made pure or scented with anise. It is served as a welcome to guests, an accompaniment to meze or as the fuel for the laughter between old friends in cafes all over Greece.
There are some who attribute the origins of tsipouro to the ancient Greek drink called Trimma. Officially, however, we can trace its origins to the monasteries of Mount Athos about seven centuries ago. Or perhaps to the days of the Byzantine Empire – to Constantinople, Smyrna and Alexandria, and the raw materials of grapes from the fertile land of Asia Minor, anise from Lemnos and mastiha from Chios, fermented in elaborate bronze stills made by craftsmen from Pontus and Armenia to producing a highly valued spirit.
At that time it was known as raki because it was the product of the distillation of rakas (the skins of grapes) and was flavoured with anise, fennel, aromatic herbs and mastiha. And over the years, production has spread to various parts of Greece.
How is tsipouro drunk in Greece?
Traditionally, tsipouro was the drink of the winemaker – something like the grappa in Italy and orujo in Spain. In other words, a spirit made from the residue of the wine-making process for drinking with family and friends. Over the years it became, like ouzo, the drink of the company, particularly in the village kafeneion.
It still serves that purpose today but also proudly takes its place alongside other premium Greek spirits produced by family distilleries with a long history. It is an ideal accompaniment to meze appetisers and seafood and works impressively in cocktails. There is even barrel-aged tsipouro that is worth seeking out.
How is tsipouro produced?
The main ingredient of tsipouro is pomace (the solid remains of the grape pressing process in winemaking, including the skin, seeds and pulp) that is distilled to create a 40-45% alcohol by volume product. However, the big difference with other Mediterranean grape spirits is tsipouro’s aromatic profile, a result of both the raw material and in the slightly different production method.
Bottled tsipouro (as opposed to that available in bulk) is more fruity than other grape distillates, especially in comparison with the heavier aromas of most grappas. It is also softer, which is why it can be used in cocktails, which is not the case with grappa.
What makes each tsipouro different?
A prerequisite for the production of top-level tsipouro is good quality grapes. So, the variety of grapes, and the composition of the soil, altitude and orientation of the vineyard, as well as the cultivation techniques, harvest time and year, all play a decisive role in the properties and taste of the final product. As well, of course, as the decision of whether to scent it with anise.
The art of the distiller is to capture the aromatics and flavours of the grapes, particularly in the fermentation process, where they are able to give their touch and character to the final product.
Ouzo drink with its strong anise flavour and with a little hint of Greece is a clear drink which gets milky-like when water is poured into it and aromas emerge and demonstrate its other qualities. Ouzo is so much more than just a drink. It is a way of life in Greece as it makes people loosen-up, brings them together especially when it is served with mouthwatering mezedakia (tidbits)!
Ouzo originates from Northern Greece, on Chios and Lesvos Islands. The complex and detailed production process differs from recipe to recipe which goes on from generation to generation and remains a well kept family secret. The drink is flavoured with a variety of herbs that grow on Greek land such as coriander, fennel, star anise, garden angelica and the renown anise.
The fermentation is done in copper stills where alcohol and aromatic herbs stand for hours. The mixture is distilled and tested out several times. It is then stored in order for the aromas and texture to settle. The distillate is diluted with water to obtain the desired alcohol content, which by law must be higher than 37,5% vol., and then bottled. Ouzo usually consists of a smaller proportion of grape distillate comparing to raki but larger than 20% according to regulations. In Greece today there are more than 300 ouzo producers.
Ouzo drink is served straight, with water or with ice, in a tall slim glass in order to add as much water as we please. This drink is also used in cocktails mixed with fruit & vegetable juices as well as liqueurs. Some connoisseurs, drink ouzo alternately with Greek coffee, while others add a few drops in their coffee!
Ouzo opens your appetite and makes you crave the delicious greek tidbits called mezedes. It is a perfect match to cured meat or fish and all sort of cold cuts. The drink is best served with good friends by the sea and is part of a Greek summer ritual!
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