I - 66 : Pork Dishes in the Peloponnese - An Ottoman Legacy ?

Summer Salad with Oranges, Goat Cheese & Olives

My fever over the last three days disrupted my blogging. Being sick is always boring. Having a foggy mind even more so. Worst was that I lost my appetite. Had planned to write about the cuisine of the Peloponnese – a topic impossible to cover if you do not want to eat. But two days and a set of sweaty bedlinen later, my appetite is back. Actually am just back from dinner at the local Basque restaurant Donostia in London, where food from the mountains and the sea complement each other splendidly.

A typical Mezza Platter with Grilled Vegetables

My topic today is food from the Peloponnese though. Thanks to topography and elevated mountain ranges, its large valleys are properly watered despite the hot and dry summers. It is one of Greece’s most productive agriultural regions – for miles the land is covered with olive orchards, wheat fields and vineyards. Without the agricultural wealth, Sparta would never have become a superpower.

Dryed Cod in Red Sauce with Caramelised Onions is

One of the few Fish Dishes you find inland

Despite the peninsula's long shorelines, the base of its food is “le terrain”, as French chefs say. It was the same in antiquity. Today, thanks to sophisticated cold chains, we can ship fresh sea food to every corner. Before cooling and freezing, there was no sea food 5 km beyond the coast line excpet dried cod.

Traditional Omelette with Pork Chops for Breakfast

When researching the origin of Peloponnese food, I discovered a cute, but probably invented story. The local cuisine has many pork dishes. Apparently, pork became the meat of choice under Ottoman rule. Since Muslims are not allowed to eat pork, they could not take the pigs from the locals - so the story goes. Whilst the first part is true, the second part underestimates the ingenuity of Ottoman tax men. Imposing a cash tax on pigs got them around the problem. “Non olet” – money does not smell – as the Roman Emperors said.

Pork Chops on a Local Vegetable like Swiss Chard

The following list of dishes is ecclectic and reflects what I once tasted or what I will ask the Myra’s Chef (our sail boat this summer) to prepare. The list is not comprehensive. I also only included dishes for which I could find a photo - always a time consuming effort. The high mountain ranges separate the Peloponnese's large valleys and coastal regions thus local cuisines developed. Would not be surprised if they also separated the Greek language and let local dialects emerge. Many dishes are hearty foods for winter when people had to live from what they could store during summer time.

White Vanilla Beans are used for Soups in Wintertime

Without further adoo, now to the main subject of today's blog. You will find - of course - Greek staple foods like Souvlaki (grilled meat on a skewer), Moussaka (minced meat with bechamel), Pastitio (baked pasta dish) and Greek Salad with Feta cheese (Feta originates from the Peloponnese). The village tavernas though serve many less well known dishes which everybody should try. We can get Greek street food anywhere in the world.

Tsakonian Aubergines baked with Feta and Basil

Gournopoula, a slow-cooked spit-roasted Piglet, is

from Messinia and very popular

Hand made Pasta in the Shape of Tagliatelle is also a

must - topped with local Peloponnese Cheeses

Braised Cauliflower is another not well known dish from

the south-western part. Made with Onion and Garlic, the

Cauliflower is caramelized. Tomatos, Cinnamon and

Seasoning are added at the End. Served with Yoghurt

Sour Trahana, a pebble size pasta used for soups and

stews. Here with Bread and Cheese. Often compared

to Couscous. The sweet version is eaten as Porridge

covered with red fruits.

Local Cheese Platter with Sfela, the semi-hard Cheese,

the crumbly Myzithra used for traditional Pies and for

Toppings and Messinian Graviera, a hard yellow Cheese

eaten to round up dinner. All made from Goat and

Sheep Milk

Raisins from Argos and Corinth have a long culinary

Tradition. They are consumed as Mezze, as a Side Dish

or used in various Stuffings for Cakes and Meats

  Cannot finish this Blog without talking about Diples,

the Filo Pastries soaked in Honey before served. An

ideal light Desert for hot Summer Days

Despite my efforts to keep this blog short, it got beyond my max. 4 minutes reading target. There is too much to talk about. I will use the opportunity of our visit this summer to talk more about Dishes from the Peloponnese.

There are two websites I found very informative and comprehensive for the foodies:

https://www.tasteatlas.com/peloponnese

https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/cover-story/foodie-guide-peloponnese