The country may be in a difficult state of affairs, but Greece has an export business with a very bright future—its wines.

You may think that someone who spends their professional life tasting dozens of wines a week will have sipped just about everything the world has to offer. It’s true—to a point. But like the art critic who stumbles across a rare masterpiece at auction or the literary critic who discovers the next big thing, there are times when a wine knocks even a critic sideways, surprising with both its flavor and its quality.

This happened to me a few weeks ago. I was handed a white wine at a tasting, and its pale yellow color, floral aroma, cushion-soft texture and crisp, refreshing, salty tang left me in raptures.

It wasn’t that it was the best wine I had ever tasted; it was just that it had a particularly unusual and enjoyable flavor. And it was from Greece. Not that this should have made any difference, but given the current state of affairs in the country, it caught my attention. As I took a second sip, it occurred to me that if Greece can keep producing wines of this quality, there will be at least one export business with a bright future.

The wine in question was an Assyrtiko from Santorini. When its identity was revealed, I nearly dropped my glass. Not long afterward I bumped into Mark Squires, who covers the wines of Greece for Robert Parker’s consumer newsletter, the Wine Advocate, and I told him about my experience. “It’s a sleeper,” he said. “No doubt about it. Greece is your classic emerging region. When you look at what is happening in Greece, this is a country that is simply a great wine-producing region—they just don’t have much to prove it with yet.”

The country has hundreds of grape varieties, and some, like Assyrtiko, may have the potential to become truly world-class. But few wine lovers have discovered them. That’s Greece’s first problem: unfamiliarity. After all, Malagousia, Xinomavro and Limnio hardly roll off the tongue like Chardonnay and Merlot.

But for anyone with just a passing interest in wine, Greece is a fascinating country to explore. Where to start? Well, the main grape varieties for red are Agiorgitiko, which is widely planted and makes full-bodied, smooth, easy-drinking reds; Limnio, which is often blended but on its own produces distinctly herbaceous wines with high-alcohol content; and Xinomavro, which is planted in the north, where it makes wines with high acidity and an appealing savory character. There are also plantings of French varieties like Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

To read more, please visit The Wall Street Journal
By: Will Lyons

He graduated at the top of his high school class, and just came in first in the entrance exam to study Electrical Engineering at Piraeus University. Great news to hear about any student. But what makes this young man’s story so extraordinary is that he’s an immigrant, from Africa.

This is the story of how he went from arriving in Greece alone, at the age of 16, as an “illegal immigrant” in 2011 — to  learning to speak fluent Greek and rising to the top of his class in less than four years.

Meet Julien — an orphaned minor, a refugee who made his way from Africa via Turkey to Greece, was locked up in a detention center on his arrival, and then lived homeless on the streets of Athens — only to find a caring community that helped him thrive, in the poorest region of Greece. Now, he says, “I want to become useful… To give, as much as I am able, to Greece that helped me.”

Which is why his story is so important — and why Julien is more than just the pride of Konitsa. He is a sign of hope for Greece. His story is like so many others — it even mirrors the story of many a Greek immigrant who came to America or Australia. But it tells the tale of a different Greece — one that isn’t being covered on the nightly news.

Julien’s story did make it on the front page of a few Greek national newspapers, and a couple of local ones. And with good reason. As pointed out by New Europe, “Greek university entry exams are notoriously difficult. Families spend a fortune on tutorials and the competition is enormous, more so in major urban centers – Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki.”

How did a poor African immigrant fare better than those with so many advantages?

“We met Julien in the Juvenile Refugee Protection Center of Konitsa, where he has been living for the last three years,” writes Spiros Sideris for the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. “When he arrived in Greece he was 16-years old. At first, he encountered great difficulties.”

As an “illegal migrant” he spent three months in detention centers — a teenager locked in a cell with adults, as is often the case in Greece — in Evros, a border region with Turkey. “Then he was released, with no provision for his welfare,” reports New Europe, and Julien made his way across Greece to Athens, where he lived on the streets in the center of Athens.

Then, a little under a year after his arrival, in October 2012, a public prosecutor intervened in his case, and arranged for Julien to be sheltered at a juvenile protection center, far away from Athens, in Epirus, one of the poorest regions of Greece.

“At the time,” New Europe reports, “he spoke no Greek at all and was depressed.” Employees of the center remember the teenager was always sad, pensive, and his only request was that he may be allowed to go to school, reports AMNA.

His request was granted — and the chance to attend a vocational school in Konitsa made all the difference.

“My parents always told me that the most important thing in life is education. I kept this,” says Julien. Having been deprived of the opportunity to finish school in his native land, “he grabbed the chance” to attend school, reports New Europe.

The school in Konitsa, Julien tells AMNA, became his family, and his classmates and teachers embraced him “from the first moment.” To help him learn the language, a dedicated Greek literature teacher, Mrs. Gianna Nikou, tutored him in the afternoons after school, “free of charge.”

Julien progressed enough to come in first in his class every year — going on to graduate with a 19.8 grade point average (out of 20).

Clearly, Julien stands out in Konitsa, in more ways than one. (People in Konista, reports AMNA, have even become accustomed to seeing him make his way uphill to Stomio Monastery to visit the hermitage of St. Paisius on the mountain above the town.)

But his success holds a lesson, and a promise, for more than just the town of Konitsa.

To Julien, the lesson and promise are clear. “I want to dedicate this success to my parents and my siblings, who are no longer in life,” Julien says as he tries to hide the tears flowing from his eyes, writes Sideris for AMNA. “My parents were the ones who had pressed upon me the value and desire of education since a very young age.”

Indeed, learning a new language and culture has not erased Julien’s memories of the family he lost. The orphaned son of a politician who struggled for democracy, he shows a reporter a bible, “a talisman” he received from his mother he says, before they were separated forever, violently.

Looking back on his own struggle, though, and how far he has come since his arrival in what he calls his new homeland, Julien says, “I thank Greece for supporting me. I thank everyone here in Konitsa, who helped me to stand on my feet and move on.”

When asked how he sees his future, Julien tells AMNA, “I want to go to become a useful and important man for society. To give, as much as I am able, to Greece that helped me.”

To read more, please visit: Hellenext

With cooler weather on the approach, and a decidedly ‘autumn’ vibe in the air (yes, some people are already wearing hats and gloves), dining out starts to move more and more towards the ‘indoors’. Of course, the heaters are turned up high on most patios, so there is no actual need to be inside, but there is something comfy and warm about sitting indoors on a crisp autumn night.

 

I am a great fan of sushi. Somehow, a meal of ‘chunks of raw fish with a side of white rice’ really makes me happy. There are more and more options in Athens for sushi – some better than others. Always on the hunt for new sushi, I was thrilled to notice Sushimou, a tiny little sushi bar on Skoufou, in Plaka towards Syntagma.

 

This is a tiny space, with exactly 11 chairs lining a tall bar. The design is deliberately simple, elegant, with origami-style birds dotting the walls, potted lilies, and even a Japanese-Greek dictionary on the shelf behind the bar. The opera playing in the background adds an elegant touch to an already elegant experience...

 

Owner/chef Antonis has poured his heart and soul into this tiny treasure, a fact which is evident the moment you walk in the door. This is Japanese simplicity at its best. Antonis is a qualified chef who spent several months training in Tokyo on traditional sushi techniques. He returned to Athens with the dream of opening an authentic sushi bar, where he could create elegant maki and perfect sashimi in front of your eyes.

 

Anyone who has visited Japan can confirm that Sushimou is decidedly authentic, both in style and substance. This is not a see-and-be-seen spot; it is, rather, a place to escape Athens and enjoy a taste of Japanese simplicity. This is fresh, delicious, impeccable sushi. Nothing more and definitely nothing less. It’s the kind of place where you are encouraged to eat your nigiri with your fingers, in one gulp. A place where the friendly Greek server is also perfectly fluent in Japanese. The emphasis here is on quality and authenticity vs. trend and self-promotion.

 

Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner, the 11 chairs means that reservations are difficult, so waiting for a spot on the weekend might be required.

 

A must-visit for all serious fans of real sushi.

 

Until next week,


Jack

 

Skoufou 6, Plaka

+30 211 407 8457

 

http://sushimou.gr/  (blog)

Ever wondered what Odysseus ate on his long journey back to his native Ithaca or what bread made from a 2,500-year-old recipe might taste like? The flavors of the ancient Greek world are being rekindled in London at the moment, in pop-up dining fashion.

Prepared by The Philosopher’s Stove team, the meals are based on recipes found in ancient manuscripts or fusions of old and contemporary culinary traditions. The ad hoc dinners began in May this year, with an emphasis on venues located in the British capital’s northeast.

“Given that we cannot re-enact the ancient Greek flavor palette, our project is an attempt to interpret the recipes through today’s contemporary reality, based on our own flavor horizon,” noted Stathis Georgiadis, a historian and co-founder of The Philosopher’s Stove. “We try to be as faithful as possible to recipes and references we come across to during our research, always working with the ingredients used back then. The feedback we get from those tasting our dishes is that the food is tasty, special and kind of off-the-beaten-culinary track.”

So far diners have been savoring a collection of antiquity-inspired dishes, including Dionysus’ Finger Food, a platter of vine leaves stuffed with minced pork and fried shrimps in a sour honey dipping sauce, Circe’s Pig, triple smoked pork cooked in wine, white grape juice, honey and spices – a recipe found in a papyrus at ancient Oxyrhynchus – and Cicero’s Burger, a vegetarian mix of chickpeas, walnuts, onions and spices, served with a smoked yogurt sauce and fresh coriander.

Ancient Greek poet Archestratus is widely considered to have laid the foundations for the art of gastronomy in 4th century BC Syracuse. His culinary laws included the use of quality ingredients in harmonious combinations, light sauces and a touch of spice.

The culinary spine of ancient Greek nutrition, says Georgiadis, was based on cereals, bread, fish, dairy products, cheese, eggs, honey, legumes and certain fruits – at the banquet table these were frequently accompanied by watered wine.

Have contemporary Greeks kept anything from the nutritional teachings of their ancestors?

“They certainly have. Above all, the high quality of raw materials produced on Greek soil and the purity of a number of ingredients which are intrinsically linked to Greek cuisine, such as olive oil,” noted Georgiadis. “It’s also about a certain balance and a sense of gastronomic wealth – this kind of cuisine includes almost everything. Another major factor is the notion of gathering around a table as a means of socialization. The way we get together to eat and share our food, the transformation of ancient Greek symposia, and their importance for individuals and society as a whole.”

To read more, please visit: ekathimerini

by

Elis Kiss and Christine Sturmey

Google is aiming this year to educate over 30,000 Greek tourism professionals on the sales potential of the Internet through its ambitious Grow Greek Tourism Online initiative

In its third year, the Google training project, aims to boost the online presence of Greek tourism professionals and their businesses through ongoing training in the use of online technology and help attract visitors all year round.

In 2014 and 2015, over 10,000 Greek SMEs developed their digital skills through Google’s special seminars and online training sessions.

Google’s Grow Greek Tourism Online initiative runs in cooperation with the Tourism Ministry, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).

To read more and to learn how you can benefit, please visit: GreekTravelPages

Who said that sushi was a luxurious option only for people with large wallets? It's not anymore! You can now enjoy favourites such as maki, rolls & nigiri without breaking the bank.

Price Point: $$-$$$
Dress Code: Casual

Kazoku

Kazoku in Japanese means family and this is how you're going to feel there, just like family in a warm and friendly environment. It is small place, but it has great value for your money. It opened about a year ago in Glyfada and it welcomed the lovers of Japanese cuisine just a few meters from Kyprou square. Patrons will have the chance to try the excellent and fresh rolls like the dragon, but also the spicy salmon, rainbow, tiger tempura and the amazing duck salad. Prices range from 17€ per person.

Location: 11 Foivis, Glifada
Telephone: 210 8944549

Price Point: $$
Dress Code: Casual

Shisan Sushi Bar

This new affordable Sushi place in Holargos is a small and friendly spot where you will eat a lot and the prices are great! You may start with salmon or tuna tutaki and may continue with excellent and fresh shisan rolls. You can't leave without trying the Mochi Chocolate, a cream made from rice with a chocolate flavour. They also have take away meals and a delivery service. Prices range from 12€ per person.

Location: 24 Mesogeion, Holargos
Telephone: 210 6510011

Price Point: $$
Dress Code: Casual

Yoshi Sushi Bar

Yoshi Sushi has managed to attract people from all over Athens. Hidden within the Plaza shopping mall, it is a modern place that promises to teach us the secrets of the Japanese cuisine. The best selling dishes are the sushi combos (from 12€), which include a taste from each category of the menu. Ask the waitor about the dish of the day as the restaurant offers something new everyday.

Location: 7 Platonos, Halandri
Telephone: 216 7006857

Price Point: $$-$$$
Dress Code: Casual

The Clumsies has been named one of the 50 best bars in the world for the 5th year in a row! According to The World's 50 Best Bars, an acclaimed organization in the bar and drinks industry, The Clumsies has been voted the 6th best bar in the world due to its ambiance, hospitality, and excellent cocktails.

"Whether for the high-class cocktails, homely food, open-armed Greek hospitality, or charming ambiance, The Clumsies is a place in which everyone feels at home. Set in a townhouse in downtown Athens, The Clumsies freely flows through the ground floor, from the statement bar at the front to the quieter back room and terrace where you’ll find a wide staircase that climbs to a private bar and billiard table. If the provision of homely hospitality has been fundamental to the success of The Clumsies, its latest menu narrows in on the customer further. The Clumsies Revisited is a compilation of the bar’s greatest hits, with simplified methodologies for guests to recreate the cocktail magic at home. A bar launched on a tight budget in a recession by two aspiring young bartenders – Vasilis Kyritsis and Nikos Bakoulis – The Clumsies was a smash from the start with locals and international travellers alike. For the past five years it’s been able to call The World’s 50 Best Bars its home too"

 

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Click Here To Read More About The Clumsies And Other Great Cocktail Bars In Athens

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