Last month, we took a little break to explore Greece—one of our all-time bucket list destinations!
During our time in Crete, the largest island in Greece, we joined a traditional Cretan cooking class which is considered as one of the healthiest in the world.
The class was hosted by Veerna and her family in a beautiful outdoor kitchen on their farm.
From Garden to Table
All the ingredients we used were either organically grown on their farm or sourced locally. They even make their own olive oil!
All the vegetables and herbs we used were freshly harvested from their farm.
All scraps and leftovers are reused to feed their farm animals or turning them into fertilizer. I love seeing their commitment to zero-waste practices and environmental sustainability—values we're also passionate about at WHERE THE WILD THINGS EAT.
We prepared traditional dishes including Arni Kleftiko (slow-roasted lamb), gemista (stuffed vegetables), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), savory kalitsounia (Cretan pastries), dakos (barley rusk salad) and tzatziki.
The Story Behind Arni Kleftiko
One of the most fascinating things we learned was the story behind Arni Kleftiko, a traditional slow-roasted lamb dish also known as "thieves' lamb."
According to a story Veerna shared with us, during Ottoman rule in Greece, Greek outlaws and resistance fighters known as Klephts hid in the mountains and stole livestock from their enemies to survive.
To avoid revealing their hiding places, they would cook the meat in underground pits sealed with earth and stones to keep smoke and aromas from escaping.
For our version, we slow-roasted lamb and chicken with fresh vegetables and herbs in a wood-fired oven.
The result? Incredibly tender and flavorful 😋
A Little Tzatziki Fun Fact
Here's something I never knew. I've always used lemon juice when making tzatziki but during the class, I learned that wine vinegar (either red or white) is commonly used instead of citrus fruits.
I'll definitely be trying that next time!
Umami Is Universal
Growing up in Japan, I've always been familiar with using umami-rich ingredients like kombu, shiitake mushrooms and bonito to create rich, savory flavors.
What fascinated me was discovering how Greek cuisine also uses naturally umami-rich ingredients like tomatoes, aged cheese like feta and garos / gurum (fermented fish sauce) to add depth and savoriness to traditional dishes.
Different ingredients, different culinary traditions but the same appreciation for bringing out the natural flavors of food.
Umami really is universal!
A huge thank-you to Veerna and her family for their wonderful hospitality and for sharing their food, stories and traditions with us!
If you're visiting Crete, we highly recommend checking out her cooking class.
Chania Cooking Class - Veerna's Kitchen
Website: https://chaniacookingclass.com/
Instagram: @veernas_kitchen
Τα λέμε ξανά 💙
