Gastronomic Tours: The Delicious New Trend for Visitors to Athens

“Souvlaki. And baklava. And that spherical bread with sesame seeds. Koulouri! These are some things I positively wish to strive whereas I’m in Athens,” Grace says as we head from Syntagma Sq. towards Monastiraki early within the morning, attempting with little success to keep away from the warmth. In her early 20s, Grace has simply accomplished a course in pastry research and, alongside together with her brother and fogeys, has come from Canada for a trip: first Athens, then the islands. In the course of the few days they may spend within the capital, they’ve deliberate to go to the Acropolis. Nonetheless, earlier than ascending the Sacred Rock, they determined to hitch one of many many meals excursions now accessible within the metropolis.

Exarchia: Style of utopia

Looking out on-line, one will discover dozens of gastronomic excursions marketed. “Eat Like an Athenian,” “Gastronomic Secrets and techniques of the Middle,” “Exarchia: Style of Utopia,” “Tasting Athens’ Meals and Wine” and “Midnight Gastronomic Tour” are only a few of the titles that seem. Some appear extra informal, whereas others are extra curated and insightful. The tour I’m becoming a member of, together with 10 guests from Canada, the UK and Mexico, is organized by Different Athens, a Greek firm that began working in 2013 and, in response to its web site, goals to current vacationers with “the genuine aspect of Greece, past the simple vacationer stereotypes.”

“For the subsequent three and a half hours, we’ll speak concerning the historical past, meals and landmarks of the town, stroll round, and, in fact, eat,” says Antigone, our information, outlining a route from Syntagma Sq. to the sides of Plaka, the Psyrri neighborhood, Theater Sq. and Monastiraki. Stops embrace sand-brewed Greek espresso, olive oil tasting, souvlaki with pink spicy sauce from Kostas at Aghia Irini and a meal on the time-honored taverna Klimataria. The dialog flows simply, protecting matters from the that means of the “extra-virgin” olive oil label to the local weather disaster and its affect on home manufacturing, Greek-Turkish relations and social construction, after which again to large beans and graviera cheese. “Meals helps you perceive folks too,” says Peter from London, who works in cultural heritage and is collaborating in a gastronomic tour for the primary time. “It’s a common language, and if you consider it, it’s the one piece of tradition that enters our our bodies, that actually turns into a part of us,” he continues.

Espresso and rose loukoumi

Konstantinos has been working with Culinary Backstreets, one of many world’s most profitable gastronomic journey websites, energetic in 19 cities from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro, Mexico Metropolis, Shanghai and Athens. Within the Athenian meals excursions he leads, a most of seven folks can take part every time, they usually typically final greater than six hours.

Together with the American couple who booked the tour, they’ve already stopped for bougatsa after which for espresso with tender rose loukoumi – Greek delight – at Mokka, the cafe-roastery that has been working for the reason that Nineteen Twenties subsequent to the Varvakios Market. Once I meet them, they’re sitting contained in the market at a lesser-known spot, even to many locals: the ouzeri within the fish market hidden in an alley between two fish outlets. A number of slices of white bread, pickled peppers, melted cheese and the trademark mini lamb meatballs – that’s all of the mezes served on the ouzeri to accompany the tsipouro made by the proprietor, Kostas, son of Giorgos Karagiannis, who began the enterprise round 1970. Among the many patrons – who know one another by first names and are largely market distributors who’ve been up since daybreak and are available right here for his or her lunch break – are Jeff and Gwen. Though Athens is acquainted to them – Jeff spent two faculty years right here, and he and Gwen go to Greece virtually yearly – they determined to hitch a meals tour this 12 months.

“Each morning, I make Greek espresso at house and research Trendy Greek. In California, we go to Greek eating places and sometimes prepare dinner Greek meals at house, but when we have been exploring the town on our personal, we’d by no means have discovered this place,” Jeff says. “Now, every time we go to a brand new place, I search for a meals tour,” Gwen provides. “Even within the US, there are some meals excursions I want to do. In New York, New Orleans… It’s a simple method to get to know the place you’re visiting. You discover components of the town you wouldn’t as a vacationer. For me, it additionally issues that you just get to know an area who occurs to know quite a bit about meals,” she explains.

Strolling via the market amid the meat, fish, voices and a short argument close to the butcher’s window with pig heads, Konstantinos delivers a crash course in food-related geography and anticipates questions from his group. In only a few steps, he covers the historical past of the market, the nation’s mountainous panorama and its affect on meat preferences, immigrant communities in Athens and their culinary habits, the very best forms of fish, farm-to-table practices and extra. “We’re not used to seeing animals like this. Within the US, there aren’t many butchers left. You go to the grocery store and get a bit. All the things is packaged and prepared. You hardly ever see one thing like this,” says Gwen, who, like me, is rigorously navigating the melted water on the bottom as we depart the market.

Olive oil, honey, loukoumi

Subsequent is Omonia: Ktistakis’ loukoumi, Stani’s yogurt and Lefteris O Politis’ souvlaki. “It’s a little bit of a rougher a part of the town, however there are gems right here – small companies that want our help,” Konstantinos says, giving a short introduction earlier than we begin strolling on Sokratous Avenue, which, regardless of the warmth, is energetic presently. “Guests wish to strive the town’s actual meals,” he tells me. “Over time, I’ve seen folks change into increasingly more concerned with Greek meals. They now perceive that Greek delicacies is not only ‘opa cheese,’ the pan-seared saganaki served at Greek eating places overseas whereas enjoying ‘Zorba the Greek’ and breaking plates.”

“For a lot of, the wholesome side of our food regimen is interesting. They’re genuinely and ask me about yogurt and olive oil. Some even prepare dinner completely with olive oil at house. Vegetarians and vegans are thrilled; consuming gemista and fava, they don’t really feel like they’ve missed something on the finish of the day. What impresses them probably the most is what I prefer to name ‘the luxurious of simplicity’ – the concept a dish with 5 to 6 elements will be so scrumptious. And the truth that meals that is likely to be acquainted to them they usually’ve tried elsewhere tastes fully completely different right here,” he explains. On the modest and funky loukoumi store of Ktistakis, we sit and revel in a sugar increase because the solar reaches its peak. Gwen orders a bundle to take house, which can journey again to California with the olive oil, honey and oregano she has bought.