Discover Crete
History, culture, arts and food from the island we call home.
Crete isn't just the backdrop to our wedding. It's home. We live in Heraklion, on an island with thousands of years of history, its own dialect within the language, its own songs, and a cuisine studied around the world. What follows is a short, sourced tour for anyone who'd like to know a little more about the place before they visit.
According to Crete's official tourism board, Cretan cuisine "embodies a whole philosophy of life" and isn't just a list of dishes. When American dietitians (led by pioneering nutrition scientist Ancel Keys) arrived in the late 1950s to study Cretans' remarkable longevity, what they found helped shape what we now call the Mediterranean Diet.
Olive Oil & Olives
Widely credited as the secret behind Cretan longevity: a natural product from simple pressing, no additives, low acidity. Harvest runs from November to February (in some areas as late as June). Table olives accompany almost every meal.
Herbs & Greens
Dittany (or "erondas") is endemic to Crete and was noted by Hippocrates for its healing properties; it grows only on steep cliffs. Malotira (mountain tea), sage, oregano and thyme are all part of everyday life. Crete's thyme honey is considered among the finest anywhere.
Tsikoudia (Raki)
A clear, fragrant spirit (~37% alcohol) distilled from grape pomace, served chilled in shot glasses as a welcome or after a meal. In 1920, Eleftherios Venizelos instituted the licence allowing farmers to distill it. It's not just a drink. It's an expression of Cretan hospitality.
Chochlioi (Snails)
A genuinely distinctive Cretan meze. Cooked with chondros (cracked wheat), in a tomato-courgette-potato casserole, simply fried, or "boubouristi" (boiled, then pan-fried with herbs).
Antikristo
A traditional Cretan roasting technique: meat (usually lamb or goat) is skewered on stakes and propped facing the fire, not directly over it, then slow-cooked by radiant heat from the embers until tender, juicy and crisp-crusted.
Gamopilafo
Literally "wedding pilaf": rice slow-cooked in rich meat broth with butter, a traditional centrepiece of Cretan wedding feasts for generations. If you see it on the table, you'll know exactly what it's celebrating.