THE FARMHOUSE PROJECT

Authentic Hospitality and Cuisine of Crete

We open our beautiful farmhouse – by appointment only - to guests who wish to explore the diverse cuisine of Crete. In an intimate environment guests may taste extra virgin olive oil, learn how to cook delicious local dishes, bake bread in the wood-oven, or simply sit back and savor amazing food and fine wine in the shade of an old grapevine.

The Location: in a small village in the heart of rural Crete, 30minutes from Knossos, 1h from Elounda approx.

The experiences:

Served Meals

Cooking sessions,

Olive Oil tastings,

Minoan Pottery

Master Classes

History of the Farmhouse

Our Farmhouse has always been our family’s dream as we have always wanted to have our very own place to host family events and receive friends around a big table for delicious meals and endless debates. Just recently this dream came to life. The 19th century stone-built house of the priest (see our great-grandfather) that stood half- ruined for 40 years now in the small village of our forefathers, in the rural heart of Crete, came back to life after hundreds of hours of hard work. On a beautiful piece of land full of olive trees, herbs, vines and fruit trees, in a corner of Crete completely unknown 362 days a year and the center of attention from the 16th to the 18th of July when the village attracts a staggering 100.000 pilgrims for the religious festival of Santa Marina (the rest of the year you will not find more than 200-300 people living here) an ideal microclimate allows us to cultivate almost all kinds of Cretan nature’s fruits, herbs and vegetables. We keep mechanical methods to a minimum and use natural farming practices – enriching the land with manure and avoiding completely the use chemical pesticides. With the land’s microclimate supporting our efforts, we manage to fill our table on a daily basis from early spring till late autumn with fruits and veggies we produce ourselves. During the winter when we focus on the olive harvest we supply our table with organic, exclusively, produce, from friends-farmers in the area.

Our Philosophy

Using only high quality raw materials, organic and seasonal ingredients, we aim to highlight the special features of Crete’s amazingly diverse cuisine and exquisite local products and offer to our guests an experience of authentic, generous philoxenia, the way this country has been doing it, since Homer’s time. Colors, scents and flavors complement one another throughout the seasons and this is what we want to share with you. Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil from our trees on home-made bread we bake in our wood-oven, white crispy Assyrtiko from the small vineyard we planted a decade ago and premium reds from a friend’s impressive cellar, strong raki we distill in November in all-night long intoxicating distilling sessions, fresh soft goat cheese, “horta”-greens from the surrounding hills, fragrant herbs all year round, seasonal vegetables and fruits full of flavor, eggs from our chickens, free range lamb and goat from the local shepherd just 3 minutes away and delicious snails our land generously offers, are just a few of nature’s gifts that fill our table.

Lunch or Dinner

When the weather is favorable we serve our meals outdoors in a lush with trees, vines and herbs environment. The menu is designed to satisfy any palate and typically includes fresh seasonal salads, home-made bread, fresh soft goat cheese and strong aged cheeses, 2-3 vegetarian/vegan dishes and at least of the most iconic meat dishes of the island. Depending on guest preferences we offer “kapriko”- boar slow-cooked in the wood-oven to perfection, onwards to rest on citrus leaves that offer to this dish its’ distinctive flavor or “antikristo” lamb or goat, slow roasting on long skewers against the fire for hours, the way Homer describes it in the Iliad. When the weather is not so accommodating, we host our friends in the main hall of the ambient farmhouse by the fireplace. Seasonality is key – we use exclusively seasonal organic ingredients (either from our property if they are ready to pick, or from friends – certified farmers of organic produce that supply us) therefore the menu changes every few weeks/months.Meat and fish dishes may be prepared year-round. The local shepherd – just 3 minutes away from the farmhouse supplies us with the best quality of lamb, goat and boar and we have a very good friend who owns a caique and delivers excellent fish upon request.

A typical meal includes a variety of traditional and iconic dishes.

A welcome platter with bread, olives and cheese

Fresh seasonal salads

“Horta” wild greens

“Dakos” – Barley rusk topped with fresh tomato, extra virgin olive oil and cheese

Dolmades/Gemista – stuffed vine-leaves/vegetables with rice and herbs

Soft fresh goat chesse

One of the following iconic meat dishes below

Lamb or Goat in the wood-oven,

Antikristo – The traditional way to roast lamb in Crete

“Kapriko” – boar slow cooked in the wood-oven (local recipe of the area)

A traditional desert of Crete, kaltsounia, mizithropites or similar paired with raki

Fresh Fruit

Fine Cretan Wines, Bottled Mineral Water are also offered