Table of Contents:
BREAKFAST.
LUNCH.
DINNER.
WINE / SPIRITS.
SUMMARY.
Wines of Greece Greek Beers. Greek Spirits.
Another Culinary Jewel.
Another island that is benefiting from not being too touristy (yet) is Paros. The sizeable permanent base, and visiting Greeks means restaurants are operating at a higher standard. Like most of the islands, Paros makes the most out of what they have.
The ingredients for meals come from the gardens, (vegetables, fruit) chickens, sheep, goats, and if you’re lucky, a pig. That was true 100 years ago and also last week.
The Parian people are ingenious in getting the most out of their island. The windblown soil of the Cyclades, the sun, heat, and limited rainfall limit what crops grow. They specialize in ones tolerant to these conditions and thrive at eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, wild greens, and various beans.
They are also smart in preserving what they have. Wind and sun-drying, along with sea salt preserving means sufficient food supplies year round.
Due to fewer cattle on the island than neighboring Naxos, seafood is the leading entrée. They use olive oil in place of butter.
Today, thanks to transportation and better refrigeration, you will find items from other locations, but they still do local best. This freshness is why you need to taste Paros.
Breakfast
Traditional breakfast is the same from town to town in Greece. Yogurt with an array of toppings appears on almost every table. The toppings are quite often homemade. Local favorites on Paros may include fig, apricot and quince marmalade, and always local honey.
Some cake and cookies, including homemade Koularakia (A Greek butter cookie), are usually on the table as well.
Dakos is a homemade barley rusk (a cross between toast and a large crouton) that they cover with tomato bits and local xinomizithra, a soft goat cheese. Think breakfast bruschetta.
You can expect other local cheeses and sweet and savory pies including rafiola, skaltzounia, and myzithropitakia (pies made with local cheeses.)
If you are lucky, they will have Xerotigana which are fried dough strips. A taste Paros does well
If they have pancakes beware, in Greece they come both sweet and savory. Taste before adding a topping.
There should be juice from local citrus trees, tea, and usually something similar to American coffee. They also have Greek coffee. When in Greece…
If your lodging does not include breakfast, go for a walk in one of the town’s old section. Here, you should find a bakery already churning out fresh baked goods. Follow your nose.
Lunch.
Lunch is not the big meal of the day as in some European countries. Most tavernas will offer moussaka, pastitsio, and other classic Greek dishes. Cafes will have sandwiches, salads, and souvlaki. Traditional, but not unique to Paros.
Local soft cheeses include:
- Mizithra – a soft white goat cheese they make from whey and milk, usually goat, sheep or a combination. The texture is creamy, and it is a favorite at breakfast. The semi-hard (dry) is more fragrant, saltier and is popular in pasta.
- Anthotyro – another soft cheese, is very similar to Mizithra.
- Touloumisio – has more goat milk and they cook it in the goatskin. The end product has a salty, spicy taste.
- Xynomyzithra – is a goat’s milk cheese that is rich, creamy, and leaves a small sour aftertaste. It has a very short life, and you need to eat it right away.
Parian hard cheeses include:
- Graviera – is the most famous Greek cheese after feta. On Paros, you will usually find it made with sheep’s milk. It is popular in saganaki and as a snack. They grate it over pasta dishes as well.
- Kefalotyri – is a hard, salty cheese made with sheep or goat’s milk (or both.) Also found in saganaki, grated over pasta dishes, and in the local recipes for Spanakopita. (Spinach pie.)
- Ladotyri – means “oil cheese.” It is similar to kefalotyri, using sheep’s milk and occasionally with goat milk added. Then they store it in olive oil.
Vegetable balls are popular. Mixing fresh vegetables with local bread and herbs leads to a variety of appetizers: chickpea, potato, tomato, and zucchini, make for tasty mouth-fulls. Also great for vegetarians.
Dinner
Dinner comes after sunset. Wine and mezes come before.
Meat cooking slowly in a pot or the oven, are traditional dishes. Lamb and goat are on many menus.
Grilled meats are also available but certainly not exclusive to Paros.
Fish and seafood head most menus due to being so accessible.
- Gouna is fresh local mackerel that they sun-dry and then grill. You should find this on just about every menu, certainly those restaurants along the coast.
Keep in mind: If the fish is part of the dish, it should be at a reasonable price.
When they offer it by weight, it means the price is too scary (expensive) to list. When possible, always try to see the fish you are getting. If you are paying by the weight, definitely see the fish first. This step guarantees the freshest.
- Kakavia is a Greek fish soup (think bouillabaisse,) that changes as the daily fresh fish changes. It also has local vegetables so they may vary from season to season.
- Salatouri is local fish, often skate, that they boil and then debone. Over this, they pour a light lemon sauce.
- Karaveles is a stew of snails. They slowly cook them in tomato sauce until they are tender.
- Octopus – How can you come to Greece and not have calamari? You can’t! That’s why in the peak months of summer, your octopus is probably from Asia. Greece can no longer keep up with the summer demand and must supplement. Off-season, chances of it being a local octopus are greater.
Greek lobsters suffer from over-farming and are usually the most expensive item on the menu. Also, they are warm water lobsters which means just not as tasty as those from colder waters. Save lobster for that New England trip.
Taste Paros Vegetables
In addition to local seafood, you can taste Paros through a variety of local products grown on the island. Sun-dried, sweet tomatoes and capers stand out from the other fresh vegetables.
Local Horta is wild greens they boil, then serve with lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
Desserts
Why would you not want to taste Paros’ desserts?
Parian figs lead the list due to their delicious flavor and availability. They make Sykopita, a thick fig cake, and spoon sweets, which they use as preserves or a dessert topping.
The local thyme honey is also a treat. Although it may be hard to locate, try to find it and taste Paros’ fresh honey, alone or on yogurt.
Wine
As you drive through the countryside, keep your eyes peeled for low stone walls with green vines behind them. Chances are it is some of the more than 1400 acres of vineyards that dot the island.
The island’s vines are dating from between 3200 and 2000 BC. (the Cycladic Civilization period.) They are predominantly small and still rely on people, instead of machines, to produce them.
Grape varieties on the island include Aidani (black and white), Assyrtiko, Karampraimi, Malagouzia, Maloukato, Mantilaria, Monemvasia, Potamisi, Roditis, Savvatiano, Roditis, and Vaftra. Many of these are ungrafted, as the phylloxera blight never reached the island.
Today, due to their ability to adapt to the wind, soil and amount of moisture, the white Monemvasia and Assyrtiko grapes, and the red Mantilaria are the three significant grapes grown. They are the only grapes allowed in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wines from Paros.
PDO Paros is a dry wine, and there is both a red and white variety.
The PDO Malvasia Paros are slightly sweet wines, either from sun-drying the grapes, (intensifying the flavor) or as “Vin de liqueur” (fortifying) the wine.
Paro’s wines are mild as there is no CO2 present. They are some of the only wines in Greece that are a blend of white and red varieties.
There are small batches, some that never get further than the family table. Many tavernas produce their house wines, which go so well with their local food. There are even wineries with large enough production that you can find their wines in other parts of Greece. Moraitis Winery is one of the largest. It also offers tastings at its winery in Naousa.
Liqueurs
With the fall harvesting of wine grapes, they also harvest figs for Souma. This liqueur is the island’s version of grappa. It is a spirit made from the single distillation of local figs. They collect the figs, sun-dry them on the roofs and then distill them creating a slightly sweet liqueur. When I say “slightly,” that is if your taste buds are still working after the flash fire from the pure alcohol. The bright side is it is pure alcohol without cheaper ones being in the mix. Cheaper liquors lead to hangovers much faster. Like ouzo, raki, or tsipouro, it is an acquired taste.
They celebrate the annual vintage across the island in a small souma festival. Each year, a different distillery hosts the festivities which include food and music. Whether trying it during a celebration or not, it is best with some food. Either meze of local sausages and cheese, or with fresh grilled octopus.
Taste Paros Summary.
Although the main towns are getting a little too touristy for my taste, you can flee to nearby villages. Here you can taste Paro’s cuisine the way it should be.
Local wine, cheeses, fresh produce, and the local seafood will give you enough reasons to return.
To read more about Greek Cuisine.