I will be heading back this summer, mostly staying at my family’s summer home in Halkidiki. Nearby is Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city with a reputation for having some of Greece’s best food in their estiatoria and more informal tavernas. Thessaloniki boasts of a 3000 year old history and many nearby attractions like the beaches of Halkidiki and a must-visit to the nearby Gerovassiliou winery in Epanomi.

About three years ago I attended a wine tasting where several Greek winemakers banded together to showcase their products to consumers, media and prospective representatives to distribute their wines. One of the wines I sampled was from Epanomi, Greece…a town just south of Thessaloniki (on the way to Halkidiki). That winery was Domaine Gerovassiliou and in the summer of 2009 I paid them a visit after being urged by the two reps who were manning the booth here in Toronto.

Evangelos Gerovassliou

Evangelos Gerovassliou created this winery in 1981 armed with his education in Oenology and Vinicultre in Bordeaux and experience as chief oenologist at Domaine Carras (Porto Carras, Halkidiki).  The wines at Domaine Gerovassiliou are a combination of Greek varietala like Assyrtiko, Malagouzia and there’s also Syrah, Viognier (one of my faves) and more!

This winery is in clear view of the Thermaic Gulf with Mount Olympus often in view from across the gulf. The Epanomi area has a unique micro climate and all of the grapes are cultivated on the Gerovassaliou estate.

Upon arriving at the winery, you’ll see a stately stone-walled edifice with soft, rolling hills lined with grape vines and the blue sea as a back-drop. The winery has an aromatic herb garden complete with labels and there’s plenty of space in the well-groomed yard for an afternoon lunch or a glass of wine under the gazebo or in the outdoor reception space for larger gatherings.

Evangelos Gerovassliou loves to travel, explore a city’s nightlife and in particular restaurants. He’s aware of the food and wine trends (and tastes) and he feels that the current roster of wines are sympatico with what wine afficionados are looking for. When he’s out at a restaurant for dinner he can’t help but think which of his wines would pair well with that particular dish.

A visit to the Gerovassilliou winery will take you through the nearby vineyards, a tour of the winery and then down to the basement. Yes, the basement…where Gerovassiliou’s pride & joy lays – the wine museum. Evangelos began collecting cork screws in 1976 and this hobby grew to include collecting wine-growing tools, old wine presses, pruning shears and a walking, visual exhibit that takes you through the ages of wine making from BC up to present. Each tour ends with a wine tasting in a grand dining area beside the cellar but on the day I first toured the Gerovassililou winery we were cut short as the winery was about to close and I was heading back to Canada the next day.

I promised myself to go back and re-do the tour without being rushed and take my time in the wine museum and enjoy some of the excellent wines produced by Domaine Gerovassliou. Please view and enjoy the accompanying slide show.

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Thessaloniki's White Tower

On the day after it rained the temperature dipped to about 26C and I decided to head into Thessaloniki (from Halkidiki) with my mom, friend George and do some shopping and take in some lunch before heading back to our summer home. Lunch was settled – we were going to the Limani (harbour) to take in a bite of Thessaloniki’s popular and delicious Fish & Chips…”gia bakalarakia” (for cod fish). Today, there are many shops that dot the city and serve battered and fried cod with Skordalia but the original fish and chip shop originated near the harbour and the store is called , “Ta Bakalarakia tou Aristou”.

The family business began way back in 1910 when the original Aristos had a shop that baked Bougatses in the morning and served sardines and anchovies for those working at the Port. In 1941, the son (Aristos Jr.) takes over the business and this is where cod also enters the menu for the first time. The shop was small, the kitchen was fueled by wood/charcoal and fish was served by 9 or 10am at the latest. Patrons packed the fish shop, eating elbow to elbow and they would simply lay down some newsprint on the tables or any flat surface ( even the hoods of cars)!

The need for a larger shop was very clear and they changed shop locations again and expanded to a larger shop. The patrons kept coming, the shop filled up again but the Keranidis family still served battered and friend cod on paper with their secret recipe of Skordalia (a garlic spread) and hot pepper. Today, the next generation runs Ta Bakalarakia tou Aristou with a brand new store, large, modern but still tucked in an alley right across from the Port.

Aristo's famous Skordalia

Hand-cut potatoes and given away to machines but the same Skordalia is served (they won’t give up the secret recipe), a consistent supply of salt cod from Norway is used and those same hot green peppers are offered when you order (go for it)! We visited the location on Fasianou across from the Port. If you go in the morning, you may still see some harbour workers going for a morning bite but the large contingent of patrons that sat amongst us were civil servants, suits and bankers who work in nearby offices and sit down for lunch around 3pm.

Salt cod fish entered the local cuisine from the 15th century, after the Vikings searched for the new world only to discover cod and then the Spaniards and Portuguese brought cod back to Europe in a big way. In Greece, fish is allowed by the church to be eaten during Lent on March 25th and also on Palm Sunday. The line-ups for bakalarakia at Aristou’s shops go out the door but the popularity of this dish goes well beyond eating salt cod according to religious observances.

This battered and fried cod, along with the best Skordalia I’ve ever tasted is simply delicious. The batter is made of water, a “hard” flour and salt. The portions are generous as shown in the photos and the salt cod is soaked in water to draw out just the right amout of salt from the preserved fish. Not too salty, not bland at all!

The menu is extensive but keep it simple: order the fried cod along with the round coins of potato fries and a yes, order some hot peppers. The Skordalia is to die for: garlic and soaked bread are mashed in a mortar & pestle and then oil and ground walnuts are slowly added until emulsified. A side of lahanosalata (a kind of coleslaw) makes for a good side and your choice of beverage is up to you: cold beer, some retsina or wine, Ouzo or tsipouro. The bread will also arrive at your table and I recommend scooping some Skordalia and have another taste of this Skordalia and try to figure out if there’s anything else in this secret recipe. Hmmmmmmm.

Customs House, Port of Thessaloniki

Go to the Fasianou location by the Port (where I went). If sightseeing and you see the White Tower, walk on Leoforos Nikis west towards the port and as soon as you see this building, cross the street and look for Fasainou St. and grab a seat outside – great for people watching and it’s shaded. You’ll see the old shop right across from where you are – imagine line-ups out the door, Port workers eating on stands, newsprint placed on flat carts, men talking about women, money and politics!

Bakaliarakia tou Aristou

Fasianou 2, Thessaloniki  tel. 2310-548668

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Lefkada is not a large island but it’s not small either. One could probably circle the island in two hours. The entry point to Lefkada passes through the main town (Lefkada) then you’re free to explore this lush green isle with fabulous beaches and the many quality eateries. The side of the island that faces mainland Greece (east) is where most of the hotels are located. There are beaches here, they are clean but I don’t think you’ll be too impressed with them. All the beach action is on the Ionian side of the island – facing Italy.

Each day has been filled with traveling to/from a new beach, a stop at a restaurant or taverna then back to the hotel to rest-up for the next day’s adventure. There are many traditional products from Lefkada such as their salami, sesame snaps, nougat and enough local dishes to fill a cookbook but today I’m going to focus on a gem of a fish and seafood taverna located at the southern end of the island, in a well-protected harbour of Sivota Bay.

This small fishing village is frequented by many boaters/sailors, there’s a campground and many hotels and pensions that can be spotted way up around the bay. Those in the know also come to Sivota Bay for the food and I have to say that I’ve had some of the freshest fish and seafood EVER here at Spiridoula’s Taverna.

Spirdoula’s is owned and operated by Spiridoula (since 1970) who runs the day to day operations alongside her husband Panagiotis, who also helps out around the taverna but more importantly, he’s a fisherman who brings in the day’s fresh catch. One of his boats can be seen docked in front of the taverna and if you’re real lucky, one of the waiters will pull up a lobster trap from the water and show the slipper lobsters they caught that day!

a rare catch - the slipper lobster

I ate at Spiridoula’s on two occasions and both times the service was prompt, courteous and the prices are affordable, a menu that offers both seafood and traditional Greek dishes that would satisfy most Greeks missing mom’s cooking. If you’re at a fish/seafood taverna, order off the fish and seafood menu…it just seems silly to be ordering lamb by the seaside. Large fish are kept in a fridge in the kitchen and you’re more than welcome to head back and pick your own fresh “catch of the day”. Even before we ordered, a basket of grilled bread doused in olive oil and dried Greek oregano arrives.

First order was some fries and salad. I like that the menu tastes that they use only olive oil for frying and that Feta is made in Greece.

The first of the fish dishes was the fried atherina…a very small sea smelt where one gently squeezes out the guts and then you dredge them in seasoned flour and fry them They become crisp like chips and they are eaten whole. I love’em!

More seafood. I never tire of ordering octopus when in Greece. Lately lots of the octopus has been imported but this one was smaller, char-grilled and so tender I could cut it with a butter knife.

Another fave of mine is sardines…sardines of the Mediterranean which are smaller than the Pacific fish that’s served as sardines. I don’t find fresh sardines that often in Toronto so this is another sure order. These sardines were the freshest I’ve ever tasted as they are only scaled and they are grilled with the guts still in them. Simply tear the head off and the guts go with it. Eat the meat off the spine and repeat. Sublime.

We also ordered a side of fried zucchini chips with a side of garlicky skordalia. Skordalia can be made of bread or potato and this delish version was made with potato.

The meal ended with a complementary plate of chilled karpouzi. Karpouzi is Greek for watermelon and we eat lots of it!

Tavera Spiridoula is located in Sivota Bay, Lefkada. Tel. is 26450/31182 and 26450/31989

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Many of these towns rely on fishing and tourism as the main sources of income and commerce and when it comes to seafood tavernas, I’ve been taking family & friends to Nea Iraklia for seafood. Nea Iraklia is about 30 minutes south of Thessaloniki and even though there are lots of places around Thessaloniki to eat fish and seafood, there’s something special about eating fish and seafood by the sea…especially with sunsets like these!

“H Akti” in Nea Iraklia is where to go for fish and seafood. The old fella Kokkinos has had this taverna for as long as I’ve been coming to Halkidiki (1980′s) and I’ve never been disappointed in the food: decent prices, delicious dishes, freshest fish and seafood from the Thermaic Gulf. Let’s start with the sides…fried zucchini chips with housemade Tzaziki.

H Akti makes a fantastic Mussels Saganaki, a local specialty of using local mussels cultivated in deltas of rivers that empty into the Thermaic Gulf.

Ya gotta order some fries and salad.

Although they have fried calamari on the menu, I prefer it grilled…almost as much as the tender, char-grilled octopus.

There’s always fresh fish…caught that day in the same waters where I swim each day and in the very waters the taverna overlooks. I love these grilled “loutsos”. These are small barracudas that look fierce but are light yet flavourful.

The Mediterranean is still full of mackerel and if available, order some of the smoked mackerel or the butterflied and grilled mackerel in the style of “gouna”.

At last, we threw in some hot peppers…we’re norther Greeks and we love our hot peppers.

H Akti is located in Nea Iraklia, Halkidiki. 30 minutes south of Thessaloniki.

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St. Demtrios in Thessaloniki

During my recent visit to Thessaloniki (Greece’s second largest city) I caught-up with as many family & friends as I could.  One friend that I couldn’t see was Stella Spanou as she was in Germany. We did have some brief on-line chats and I quizzed her on some places to check out for good eats. Stella is a Thessaloniki gal and she recommended I go visit Kostas’ Souvlaki, on Agio Dimitriou (St. Demetrios) St., just west of the Turkish Consulate.

Located near the city center (just a short cab ride) you will find Kostas’ Souvlaki. There are many references to Kostas’ souvlaki on-line and my friends in Thessaloniki confirm this place is pretty damn good! A good souvlaki needs fat and the best made souvlaki comes from pork butt (from the shoulder) or pork belly. Either way, some fat has to be present so it renders down, keeping the leaner meat moist and the result being juicy, succulent pork souvlaki.

I walked into Kostas’ in mid afternoon, well after lunch hour and I was the only sit-down patron. I watched as many came in for their take-out orders and I patiently waited for my order to arrive. I started off by pouring myself an ice-cold Fix Hellas (Greek) beer..fitting for souvlaki & fixins’s.

An order of fries is a must when ordering souvlaki. These were frozen pre-cut fries but they were not reconstituted and that’s fine by me.

Next up was to order an “angouro-tomata” or Cucumber & Tomato salad…think a stripped-down Horiatiki or Greek salad with no Feta or peppers.

I know that I was in Kostas’ for his souvlaki but I do also love a good soutzoukaki – a slender mince sausage (no casing) and so I threw in a few soutzoukakia into my order.

The souvlakia are housemade on the premise , marinated in onions and oregano on the souvlaki. My recipe for pork souvlaki is done much the same way. Throw in some bread and the meal is served.

I ate all that I could – fought the good fight and I managed to leave a small bite of soutzoukaki and some fries. The entire meal was delicious, seasoned properly and the only noticeable food left on the table were some fries. I needed buffet slacks and a bed to sleep off this big lunch!

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© 2011, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.