santorini
Santorini cherry tomatoes
The red queen of the Mediterranean cuisine!
The red queen of the Mediterranean cuisine is a unique type of tomato from the island of Santorini. It is a special agricultural product with a special history. The small-fruited tomato of Santorini arrived on the island between the years 1875-1880. There are two c was cultivated on the slopes of Profitis Ilias and from there it spread to the rest of the island. In the beginning, the tomato was cultivated to meet exclusively the nutritional needs of the inhabitants. The Santorini tomato has four types:
1. The most characteristic is the one with the intense grooves, which looks like a red daisy.
2. The round type called “kaisia” or “bournella”.
3. “Kotic” refers to the small and slightly oval cherry tomato, which thrives in mountainous fields.
4. The round tomato with light streaks.
The unique volcanic soil of Santorini, with its successive layers of solidified lava, its minerals and trace elements, combined with the ideally dry environment, were the secret recipe for the special queen.
The tomato provided the necessary moisture from the fog that spreads in the summer evenings all over the island and is captured by the soil and the leaves of the plants.
In addition, the volcanic Thera soil holds in winter exactly as much water as needed to cool the crimson fruits, which swell under the hot Cycladic sun.
The Santorini tomato is unique in the world! Everything even today, is done in the old traditional way!
Harvest begins in mid-July and by August. The tomatoes are washed, cut transversely, and covered with a protective screen until they dry naturally.
Santorini cherry tomatoes
The red queen of the Mediterranean cuisine!
The red queen of the Mediterranean cuisine is a unique type of tomato from the island of Santorini. It is a special agricultural product with a special history. The small-fruited tomato of Santorini arrived on the island between the years 1875-1880. There are two c was cultivated on the slopes of Profitis Ilias and from there it spread to the rest of the island. In the beginning, the tomato was cultivated to meet exclusively the nutritional needs of the inhabitants. The Santorini tomato has four types:
1. The most characteristic is the one with the intense grooves, which looks like a red daisy.
2. The round type called “kaisia” or “bournella”.
3. “Kotic” refers to the small and slightly oval cherry tomato, which thrives in mountainous fields.
4. The round tomato with light streaks.
The unique volcanic soil of Santorini, with its successive layers of solidified lava, its minerals and trace elements, combined with the ideally dry environment, were the secret recipe for the special queen.
The tomato provided the necessary moisture from the fog that spreads in the summer evenings all over the island and is captured by the soil and the leaves of the plants.
In addition, the volcanic Thera soil holds in winter exactly as much water as needed to cool the crimson fruits, which swell under the hot Cycladic sun.
The Santorini tomato is unique in the world! Everything even today, is done in the old traditional way!
Harvest begins in mid-July and by August. The tomatoes are washed, cut transversely, and covered with a protective screen until they dry naturally.
Caper/Kapari
The authentic, natural, and pure taste!
The unique caper/Kapari of Santorini grows on the steep slopes of the Caldera, on the stone walls, the traditional “terraces” of the island. Cultivators monitor each stage of plant growth until harvest from late June to late August. Additionally, from the wild caper, they collect the flower and the leaves which they pack in jars.
Santorini caper leaves
From the wild caper that grows in the dry stones of Santorini, cultivators collect the leaves, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that have a very delicate spicy taste!
The white eggplant of Santorini
Sweet, delicious, and beautiful!
Another rare product of Santorini land! The white eggplant has few spores as a result does not absorb much oil during frying and has a very sweet taste. So sweet that it does not even need to be unwrapped. The white eggplant is cultivated only in Thira of Santorini, and according to the conjectures, the country of origin, is Egypt. Due to the morphology of the soil, it does not have the bitterness of the classic eggplant, as well as it does not have many spores. The white miracle is juicy and sweet and the ways of cooking in Santorini vary.
Fava
The pure gold of Santorini!
Santorini Fava is produced from the seeds of Lathyrus clymenum, a unique flowering plant.
The name “fava” appears for the first time in the tragedy of Aeschylus of the 6th-5th century. However, the history of the Fava Santorini begins 1,000 years ago, on a historic seismic activity. In the 16th century, the island experienced one of the largest volcanic eruptions ever recorded. The blast decimated the island and forced the locals to leave. One of the largest settlements abandoned was the Minoan city of Akrotiri, which was covered with layers of ash and volcanic dust. Thousands of years later, archaeologists revealed that among the many works of art and objects that came to light, they also found remains of seeds of the plant Lathyrus clymenum.
All the stages of Santorini fava’s production take place on the island, using local methods that began millennia ago. The final product has a pure gold color and during the cooking process, fava acquires a velvety texture and sweet taste.
Chlorotiri
Traditional cheese of Santorini
This is the most traditional local cheese of Santorini. It is usually eaten fresh, hence its name. Chlorotiri is traditionally made from goat’s milk. The locals also keep it in brine, so it hardens considerably and is used for rubbing.
It is difficult to find it outside of Santorini, sometimes it is even difficult to find it inside, since its production is limited almost exclusively at the household level and in a few traditional restaurants.
It is perfectly combined with the white eggplant of Santorini!
Volcanic Wine
Santorini is one of the most important wineries in the Mediterranean and one of the oldest vineyards in the world, with a history of 3,500 years. The special composition of the soil on the island of Santorini has been a catalyst for the cultivation of excellent local products. However, a separate page in the local production of Santorini is without a doubt, the wine. The sea air, along with the soil rich in volcanic ash, that transmits the refreshing acidity for which wine has become so famous.
There are grape varieties that can be discovered only on the island of Santorini. Due to the volcanic identity of the island, as well as the rare rainfall, the locals had to adapt the cultivation of the vineyards. As a result,
a distinct art was developed in Santorini. The art of viticulture is clearly special and offers some of the most amazing wine varieties in the world.
Wine exports from Santorini are proof of the value of local wine. On the island, you will find varieties such as Assyrtiko, Nychteri and sweet Vinsanto. Through the centuries, local wine producers have now created a true legend worldwide. The taste of the wine is the prove, as they follow a tradition that has been preserved for centuries. The Greeks have always been pioneers in wine production and through the continuation of this art form, Santorini producers continue to triumph.
