In Greece, Santorini is considered a place next to heaven and attracts millions of travellers each year. Well, apart from the scenic beaches and picturesque scenario, this country is known as a cultural hub. If you are a foodie, don’t miss a Santorini food tour. Meanwhile, understand the various delicacies of the city in which you should never give a miss.
Santorini tomato fritters:
This is a specialty of Greece, also known as Domatokeftedes, which is diced tomato cooked with onion, mint, and flour. They serve as an excellent appetizer. You will get the on-hand training on attending a Greek cooking class. They are generally filled with mini pita bread and a dollop of fava bean curry.
Stuffed grape leaves:
Stuffed grape leaves are not only the specialty of Santorini but Greece as well. These are soft leaves stuffed with rice, vegetable, herbs, and others dipped in a bit of Tzatziki. You will see the stuffing variation, and a celebrated Chef like Selene would put grilled Chloro cheese inside the filling. These variations are excellent and bring a touch of excellence, as the Santorinian ladies, by the traditional method, prepare the Chloro cheese.
Tarama spread:
Tarama is a spread served with drinks before dinner. The creamy dip is prepared from Roe fish combined with milk that is soaked in dried bread, grated onion, and lemon. The spread is glorified with the addition of olive oil and whipped until a nice texture. You can enjoy a meal with bread and Tarama, which will leave a mind-boggling effect. The spread is cherished best when the fish is caught fresh every day.
Tomato paste:
The tomatoes are grown in Santorini, Greece has its specialty. They have thicker skin compared to the regular cherry tomato and higher sugar content. The tomatoes are submitted to the EU and are expected to get PDO certification soon. The cultivation of these tomatoes is possible as they are grown in high mineral content soil and very little water.
Fried calamari:
Fried calamari is not a unique item in Europe, but the difference in Greece is that it’s obtained as fresh instead of frozen. Whenever you are on a beach holiday, your day is marked incomplete without fried calamari and Yellow Donkey. You will enjoy the fresh, crispy calamari with a squeeze of lemon.
Fresh fish:
Many families in Greece are dependent on fishing and family-run restaurants. You will see many family-run restaurants where the father goes for a catch, mom prepares food, and the children are busy serving the restaurant guests. Take your time, and look for a restaurant of this kind. You will be given a fresh catch grilled fish; enjoy it with beer. If a group accompanies you, get the fish marinated, hire a barbeque stand, and then enjoy cooking the fish alongside the ocean side breeze.
Baklava:
Baklava is a sweet treat available in Greece, in almost all the nooks and corners. But those prepared in Santorini has its specialty, as the cover has a special coating of pistachio, grown in Greece. The covers are made from 40 sheets phyllo dough, representing the 40 days of Lent. These special delicacies are served on special occasions like weddings, Christmas and Easter.
Halva:
This is a traditional dessert item of Greece where semolina is toasted in oil, and then dipped into a sugar syrup. The item is then flavoured with cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves. Like other Greek foods, the ingredients are quite simple and utilized in the ratio of 1:2:3:4. The simple recipe includes 1 part of semolina, with 2 parts of olive oil, 3 parts of sugar and 4 parts of water; all blended to a fabulous taste.
Vinsanto Wine:
Stepping out of Greece without a sip of Vinsanto wine? No, that’s a loss for you. This variety of wine is prepared from the chosen quality of grapes, which are sundried for at least 12-14 days. They are made from 51% Assyrtiko grapes, Athiri, and Aidani variety. It’s said that a bottle of Vinsanto wine requires 10 kgs of grapes. The price of a bottle is almost double that of the other array of wines produced in Greece. The minimum aging time for this type of wine is almost 24 months.
Red Donkey beer:
If you are not a beer lover, still Red Donkey beer will be hot on you. Brewed on the Island of Santorini, this beer is a special kind of hop, including Citra from Oregon, Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand, and Styrian Golding from Slovenia. This beer has a typical aroma of tropical fruits. If you want to pick a few Red Donkey Beer bottles, do it from Santorini Brewing Company.