Tasteful Crete Crete
…..Inhabited by strange but warm, proud and friendly people…
For centuries Cretans apprenticed the ART
of hospitality. They have now become Masters of this ART. Be prepared for a
strong sense of daily life and for truly warm hospitality. Know the mysteries
of a wonderful and hospitable land. Cretans are the hosts; you are the guest of
honour!
Feel the meaning of family, relations so
strong, so real!
…Crete
7 Days Culinary Tour in Crete with Accommodations, All Meals, Culinary Classes
and Excursions
At village Tzanakiana / Margarites around 25 km southern east the city
of Rethymnon
Practical information
for the house
During the restoration
procedure, the historical listed monuments “Kouriton House” preserved all the
architectural characteristics of the 18th century house that has its roots at
the pre-historic Minoan mansion: the backyard with the rock-built ponds and the
terraces, the oven-house, the ceramic chimneys, the bedrooms, the rest for
pitchers, the old jars, the crenellation and the rock-hewn surface water
reservoir. The house has 7 bedrooms that can accommodate from 2 to 4 persons.
On the ground floor there are 2 two-bedroom flats with a fireplace, an
oven-house as well as a dining room with very old jars and a monastery-style
table, where the guests can enjoy thematic breakfasts based on local products
and traditional recipes. On the first floor of the house there is the living
room, where the guest can have a drink or use the internet. Every piece of
furniture is a copy of the original Cretan furniture of the house, while the
beds are authentic antiques. Every room has a fridge, a TV, a hair dryer and
ecological air conditioning.
The guest house also
provides drinking water from the fountain located in the area as well as a
softener. It is built right at the entrance of the forest and the historic
paths with a view over the evergreen gorges and the traditional settlements.
The guest house has a rich library with vast folklore – historic material,
leaflets regarding the Cretan gastronomy, a photocopy machine and audiovisual
material infrastructure.
VILLAGE MARGARITES / PREFECTURE RETHYMNON
7 days / 6 nights
Price per person / double occupancy
$3.328 (For One Person, Double Occupancy
based on 2people)
Availability:
Year Round Based on Your Availability
Package includes:
6 Nights, Kouriton house historic house
- For One (Dbl Occupancy)
Arrival, Greeting and Traditional Cretan
Dinner
Region of Chania Culinary Tour
The “Seafood Evening” Cooking Class
The Monastery of Arkadi, the City of
Rethymnon walking tour and the waters of Argyroupolis
Cretan Heritage Cooking Class
South Central Crete :
Culture, Food and History
Local Meats and Casseroles Cooking Class
Cooking Class Featuring Stuffed
Vegetables, Vine Leaves and Olive Oils
Farewell Dinner
SCHEDULE
Day 1. Sunday: Arrival, Greeting and Traditional Cretan Dinner
Upon arrival at the airport
of Heraklion Island of Crete
Day 2. Monday: Region of Chania Culinary Tour
After a full breakfast buffet consisting of fresh pastry, fruits,
vegetables, meats, eggs and cheese, you will depart with George who is
knowledgeable of Crete , her history and
allure. The town market of Chania dating back to the 1900’s is a cross-shaped
gallery that houses over 65 food stores, presenting fresh fruits, vegetables,
meat, dairy products, breads, legumes and anything else you may want such as
cafés, restaurants and shopping. Lunch will be in Spaltzia (Turkish quarter
during the Turkish occupation) at an old harbour restaurant featuring a variety
of local specialties. On the way back to the lodge, there is a stop to buy
fresh seafood for the evening cooking class, and also a stop to buy the famous
bread of Georgioupolis made in the same method for the last 150 years with its
unique smoked taste.
The “Seafood Evening” Cooking Class
The evening will feature your first hands-on cooking class based on the
fish and seafood that was purchased earlier in the day. Fish soup with rice in
egg and lemon, the famous KAKAVIA (fisherman fish soup), fish with tomato and
onion sauce baked in the oven, fresh fish grilled and fried are a few of the
cooking menu items. A basic feature of the Cretan diet is the large consumption
of vegetables. On average Cretans are at the top of the scale in terms of
vegetable consumption. In fact, they consume three times the amount of
vegetables than Europeans! That too is a part of their secret for a long and
healthy life. A delicious dinner will be enjoyed that your own hands helped prepare.
Lots of pure homemade local wine is served with dinner meals.
Day 3. Tuesday: Arkadi monastery, city of Rethymnon
After
breakfast at the Kouriton House where you will be staying, take a drive through
the vineyards and small villages of the Rethymnon region.
Visit the
16th century monastery of Arkadi.
Next you’ll
visit the city a Rethymnon a city seeped in history and an attractive place to
wander through its narrow streets and marvel at Venetian and Turkish
architecture that house its restaurants, cafes and shops.
After
browsing the shops and a coffee break where you can mingle with the locals,
you’ll drive to the natural springs of Argyroupolis a site boasting attractive
cascades and an idyllic setting for lunch where you’ll enjoy Cretan vegetable
and cheese specialities.
After lunch
you’ll return to the Kouriton house and prepare for your second cooking class
with George this time focusing on
After the
class you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labour with the group along with some
raki and local wine.
Cretan Heritage Cooking Class
You now find yourself in the heart of the Cretan kitchen. Cretans feel
the urge to share their secrets of life with the world. Besides their history
and culture, you will share their prized heritage known as the Cretan Diet.
Local producers warrant that all Cretan products are pure, without chemical
substances or other preservatives and additives. These products, being a part
of century old tradition, are treated with the same respect as that afforded to
them by their ancestors. Tonight’s hands-on class is based on a variety of
vegetables and minced meat with prep techniques that transforms basic
ingredients into a full table of colour, variety and richness. Moussaka,
Aubergines Papoutsakia, fried vegetables in tomato sauce, smoked eggplant and
Pastitsio, with vegan and vegetarian options will be in abundance. As always,
local wine will compliment your meal and enhance your evening.
Day 4 Wednesday: South Central Crete : Culture, Food and
History
Explore south-central Crete , visit to
archaeological sites of Gortys, and Phaestos, Kokkinos Pyrgos village and 3rd
cooking lesson
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out to explore the
south-central part of the island with your host George.
Today you’ll visit Gortys, the ruined capital city of the Roman province
which included the island
of Crete
You’ll see the impressive amphitheatre and the Basilica of St Titus
before driving west to the archaeological site of Phaestos, the second most
significant site of the Minoan civilisation
Phaestos is an ancient palace and you’ll also see the site of the
ancient city is was located in offering a detailed insight into ancient life.
Stop off in the fishing village
of Kokkinos Pyrgos
After lunch you’ll head back to the Kouriton and head to the kitchen for
your first cooking class. This evening’s hands-on class focuses on local meats
and casseroles and George will teach you preparation techniques that transform
basic ingredients into the stars of the table, full of richness colour and flavour.
After the class sit down and enjoy the meal you’ve learned to cook
accompanied by local wine.
Local Meats and Casseroles Cooking Class
Preparation is the key to the variety of dishes that will be created.
Time spent in slicing, dicing, chopping and pealing enables the assembly of
various dishes in record time. Pork bites in tomato sauce, and Drunken Pork
bites cooked in wine and oregano are wonderful appetizers paired with Raki (an
alcoholic drink that is made from the grape peel, after the wine has been
produced). Boneless pork with celery and egg and lemon sauce, Oven baked Lamb
with potatoes , Free-range lamb tsigariasto and lamb fricassee are also on the
menu. Dinner will be accompanied with copious amounts of pure, homemade local
wines. Viniculture is a 4000 year old practice on the island of Crete
Day 5. Thursday: Central Crete: Forgotten Monastery, Art pastry women’s cooperatives work
shop, Honey Bees and wine tasting – sweets tasting, honey tasting, distillery
visit
After your buffet breakfast your tour will start in the direction of
Heraklion driving the side roads to Heraklion. First break you visit one almost
forgotten monastery, and a church with beautiful frescoes. Keep driving to the village of Marathos
where we visit the women cooperative work shop at the village of Marathos Heraklion
We do a break at this small local café / restaurant run by the
bee-keepers since 1949. The owners (two brothers) have been beekeepers since
all their lifetime taking the business from their father. Therefore, we taste
honeycombs straight from the beehive and learn everything about bees and
beekeeping as well as having a kind of pancakes we call them “tiganites”, deep
in honey and small cheese pies with honey in company with local wine and the
Cretan snap, Raki. You will definitely feel the positive effect to your body
and soul.
A slow drive to the village
of Sivas Greece
Cooking Class Featuring Stuffed
Vegetables, Vine Leaves and Olive Oils
It is believed that the secret for a long and healthy life lies in olive
oil, the principle ingredient in the Cretan diet. Past and present research
conducted in the US and Europe supports the view that olive oil not only
shields the human heart from disease, but also increases healthy operation of
other organs by reducing cholesterol. Olive oil is an important ingredient in
all dishes on the dinner menu. This hands-on class will take you through the
process of making stuffed tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, and aubergines…as well
as Dolmadakia (little stuffed wraps) with vine leaves, sorrels or pumpkin
flowers. These all can be enjoyed as a meze or main course. At the conclusion
of your Cretan holiday, you will be armed with a full assortment of Greek
recipes that are easy to reproduce back home. Friends and family will be so
impressed!
Day 6. Friday: Knossos
After
breakfast, today’s excursion takes you to Knossos ,
an ancient palace and must-see archaeological site of Crete .
After visiting
the 3500 year old site of Knossos
You’ll
visit the best pastry shop in the city and sample filo pastries in syrups, with
cheeses before heading to a coffee shop and tasting coffee roasted the
traditional way in hot sand.
Next
you’ll explore the central market and stop for an ouzo with meze at one of the
traditional Mezedopolion (restaurants).
You’ll
also have the opportunity to see the cathedral of Saint Minas, the Morozini
fountain, Venetian church turned art gallery before heading towards the
seaside.
A
light lunch will be served accompanied by chilled white wine before ending your
gastronomic walking tour to taste the famous loukoumades, Cretan style
doughnuts sprinkled with honey and sesame.
After
the walking tour, you’ll head back to the Kouriton House to relax before a
farewell dinner which tonight is your day off from cooking and a chance to
enjoy a meal cooked by the lady of the house.
Dinner
is a chance to sample yet more local dishes and compare them to the dishes
you’ve learnt during the week and discuss the sites, tastes and sounds of your
holiday with new friends over wine and raki.
Farewell Dinner
Tonight
your dinner will be prepared by the lady of the house. You will have the
opportunity to sample a large variety of specialties (called mezedes)
accompanied by the Cretan Snap RAKI! Are you tempted to compare her dishes to
those you have learned during the week? You have made wonderful new friends and
explored a new region of the world filled with some of the best food you have
ever tasted – what more could one ask? After a restful sleep, transportation
will be provided for you to meet your departing flight.
Day 7. Saturday: Departure day
After a leisurely breakfast guests are asked to
check-out of their rooms and be ready to be taken back to the airport taking
home with them an insight into Cretan life, new friendships and unique culinary
and cultural memories that will stay with them long after the holiday is over.
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