Lesvos Culinary Heritage: Fresh Aegean Flavors

Besides being a picturesque island in the north-eastern Aegean Sea, Lesvos offers various natural beauties and a rich cultural heritage that can be distinguished by its culinary tradition based on local - land or sea - produce.
Some of the products the island exports around the world tastes even better when savoured locally while you admire the island’s beauties. Take a peek at what you can either taste here or take back home:

• extra virgin olive oil;
• a variety of cheese products (PDO), such as ladotyri, feta Mytilini and Kaseri Eressou;
• cured sardines and anchovies caught in Kalloni Bay;
• delicious spoon sweets, marmalades and liquors made by women’s cooperatives, all done with local fruits;
• thyme, pine and flower honey;
• exquisite wine from local varieties;
• fresh fish and shellfish, which are utterly tempting especially when served with a tantalizing ouzo drink

It's Tidbit (Meze) Time!

In the numerous tavernas and “ouzeris” around the island you’ll get the chance to taste all local goodies. Begin with an ouzo drink on ice (no shaking necessary) whose anise aroma will amaze you and accompany it with a platter of fresh seafood; cured anchovies and sardines; anchovies marinated in olive oil, vinegar and garlic; roasted scallops sprinkled with olive oil; grilled octopus and so many more delicious “meze”.

If you are still up for it, then you should give a try to ladotyri cheese saganaki, ntolmadakia and zucchini flowers stuffed with rice and herbs; meatballs with ouzo; grilled fresh sardines; stuffed squid; shrimp or mussel saganaki with spicy tomato sauce, feta cheese and peppers.
 

Local & Special

Local housewives are very proud of their traditional recipes, some of which you should not miss when you visit. Try “sougania” stuffed onions with minced meat and rice; stuffed lamb with liver, raisins and pine nuts; “hahles” trachana in shape of small boats with tomato, feta cheese and olive oil; “giouzlemedes” cheese pies, choose among sweet or salty; “sfoufgato” omelet with zucchini and herbs; stuffed tomatoes and eggplants with octopus; sardines with pickles and capers; grilled wrapped in vine leaves sardines and cabbage wraps with cod fish, carrots and celery.

Something Sweet for Last

On the island of Lesvos women’s cooperatives make delicious sweets you should savour or even purchase a jar to take back home. Try their delicious baklava with almonds and rose water, their appetizing pumpkin pie, their “plantzeta” (a syrupy pastry with almonds or walnuts sprinkled with cinnamon) and their large variety of mouthwatering spoon-sweets.