I love a Greek meal of grilled fish, potatoes and horiatiki salad (also known as Greek salad) as much as the next person. But what I’ve come to learn is that the cuisine of Greece is much more regional than the handful of dishes often associated with the Greek islands. I’ve just returned from my second trip to Crete, which is renowned for its intricate craft culture and rich cuisine.
Like much of the southern Mediterranean, Cretan cooking is about simple technique and high-quality local produce. Mountain herbs and greens, bulbs, honey, goat, goat’s cheese and fish are abundant over and around the island. Then, of course, there’s the olive oil, known around the world for its exceptional quality. Cretan friends have told me that most people don’t buy commercial olive oil. Families have olive trees and harvest the fruit, which is sent to a communal press to be turned into oil.
The author’s Cretan dinner at Ammos © Douglas Martin Eveleigh
When visiting Crete, I stay at Ammos, a small seaside hotel in the north-west of the island. The hotel has been run by Nikos Tsepetis for the past 30 years. Ammos has a bit of a cult following. During my time there, I spoke to several families who have been coming every summer for 13 years. It’s difficult to put a finger on exactly what makes it so special. I think it has to do with the way a place can make you feel. I always say that most people go to restaurants in the hope they’ll be made to feel good. Sure, the food plays a part. But more than anything, we all want to feel comfortable, taken care of (but not bothered)… When it comes to a hotel, this desire is compounded by a million.
