By Giannis SofianosSpecial to The National Herald

ATHENS. – You know aboutthe theories and writings of Plato,Sophocles and Aristophanes. Butwhat did those great minds eat?

The owners of the fine-restau-rant franchise "Arheon Gevseis,"(Tastes of the Ancients) have put alot of research and culinary artistryinto answering the above question."The ancient Greeks couldn’t haveexcelled in math, science, theatre,poetry and politics and have failedto produce great recipes," said Mrs.Souli Adami, co-owner of the fran-

chise, which is dedicated to bringingthe tastes of ancient Greece to ourmodern palates.

Along with her husband GiannisAdamis, a prominent Greek busi-nessman, Mrs. Adamis founded thisunique restaurant in Athens in1998. "I first learned to appreciateand love ancient Greek history andculture from my father, who was a‘walking encyclopedia,’" she said."My husband and I did extensive re-search on ancient food for two yearsand consulted with philologists andarcheologists." She said the effortwas an attempt to share her her-itage with those daring enough to

put their love for Greece wheretheir mouth is, literally speaking.

Indeed, "Arheon Gevseis" bringsvisitors closer not only to the wayancient Greek food tasted but tothe entire experience of eating inancient Greece. Visitors enter therestaurant, through a hallway thathas been modeled after an ancienttemple and is lit by two large "pirsoi"(torches). Once inside, they are sur-rounded by displays of objectsusually saved for a museum, likecopies of ancient "skevi" (cookingequipment) and columns, as well aspalm trees, torches, discrete electriclamps that shed their light on stone

walls and grape-vines hanging fromthe wooden ceiling. Everything inthe restaurant’s indoor and outdoorareas is designed to create the rightatmosphere to go with the menu.Even the speakers that play lightmodern Greek music are coveredwith plants, so as not to destroy theillusion of antiquity. Plaster casts ofancient marble depictions completethe setting.

There is no dress code at"Arheon Gevseis," not for visitors atleast. But waiters are dressed in an-cient Greek chitons as they pour inyour clay vessel your first taste ofancient Greece, the "oinomelo," a

popular ancient beverage madefrom wine and honey and mixedwith rose water.

There are no forks available,even though Greeks knew about thefork from Poseidon, the god of thesea, who always had his "triaena"(trident) handy. Ancient Greeksconsidered the fork a weapon thathad no place on their table, so you’lljust have to use your hands and aspoon for soups.

The menu has the form of anewspaper entitled "Ancient News"and is available in Greek –ancient

Arheon Gevseis: A Restaurant that Takes you Back in Time

By Steve FrangosSpecial to The National Herald

If there is any one stereotypethat is unquestionably associatedwith Greeks in North America it isone having to do with cooking. InAmerican popular culture there isa direct link between Greeks andpushcarts, diners, cafes, and thefood business in general. ManyGreek American seniors reportthat the term of derision thrown atthem while they were growing upwas "greasy spoon Greek."

The ubiquity of Greek festivalsacross America has perhaps rein-forced this stereotype. Yet, despiteall the association between GreekAmericans and food there is noformalized history of traditionalGreek cooking in North America.

The first Greek recipes werebrought to North America by thepioneer immigrants. In 1855, aNew York Times reporter wrotethat when he needed to write aboutthe Greeks of New Orleans, all hehad to do was visit a Greek-ownedrestaurant, where they gathered.One such gathering place at thetime was the PeloponnesusRestaurant, one of the first Greek-owned businesses in New YorkCity, established in 1857. GreekAmericans know however, thatGreek cooking has changed con-siderably since those early days ofGreek immigration.

TselementesOne trademark of this transi-

tion, -present in every GreekAmerican home- was "GreekCookery" by Nicholas Tsele-mentes, a cookbook published inEnglish by the D.C. Divry Press be-tween 1950 and 1967. Tselementeswas a Greek chef, who hailed fromthe island of Sifnos and had beentrained in Europe. His lastingclaim to fame is that, according tothe Washington Post, he wrote "thefirst comprehensive cookbook inmodern Greek. Published in 1910,it became an important resourcefor fashionable Greek women andsold more than 100,000 copies in10 editions by the time Tsele-mentes died in 1958." (www.wash-ingtonpost.com)

It was during his tenure at theSt. Moritz Hotel in New York City,on 50 Central Park South and SixthAvenue that Tselementes enters

Greek-American history. It isduring this period of the fabledGreek chef’s life, that the Englishedition of "Greek Cookery" (NewYork: D.C. Divry, 1950) met withwide circulation. In recent years,Tselementes’ recipes and approachto Greek cooking have been chal-lenge. For those who know hislegacy well though, such contem-porary objections seem more datedthan Tselementes’ recipes.

As a Greek-American child, Ispent much time in kitchens whereGreek women gathered. I clearlyrecall seeing those Greek ladiesflipping through their copies ofTselementes’ cookbook. Heateddiscussions and long dissertationsover its recipes were common-place. Many women had alter-native recipes and ingredientswritten in pencil on their copies.Others had slips of paper or indexcards with their totally differentrecipes inserted between thebook’s pages. Regional variationsof Tselementes’ recipes, inspiredby an individual housewife’s familytraditions and the sheer inventivenature of Greek women with ac-cess to America’s cooking ingredi-ents, soon helped Greek Americanhousewives leave the book behindthem. But its importance is univer-sally recognized to this day.

The Recipe ClubWith the arrival of the Hellenic

Festivals in the 1960s came the ap-pearance of the Hellenic Cook-books. But how these volumescame about, who compiled themfirst, and how accurately they de-pict traditional Greek cookery re-mains a mystery.

Having said that, the case canbe made that the first Greek cook-book aimed for the modern house-wife based in North America wasproduced in the late 1950s bymembers of the St. Paul Greek Or-thodox Church parish in Hemp-stead, Long Island.

At the time the Church’s con-gregation had just moved from asmaller location to 110 CathedralAvenue, where they remain untiltoday. As part of the effort to raisemonies for a new facility, a "Mr.and Mrs. Club" was formed by theparish members. One of the Club’sinitial projects was to establish a

Food for Thought:The Greek Cook Bookin North America

NEW YORK – The 2006 ZagatSurvey for New York City Restau-rants has spoken, and Greek foodis high on its list.

The annual survey of New Yorkcustomers, released just last mon-th, shows that Greek restaurants inNew York City and the Boroughsdelivered a strong performanceover the past year. New Yorkerscontinue to visit Greek restaurantsnot only for what is perhaps thebest fish and seafood in town, butalso for their alternative Greekdishes and homemade delicacies,as well as for their increasingly ele-gant ambiance and terrific service.

There were a few negative re-marks, of course, as New Yorkdiners can afford to be eclectic.But overall, if one goes by the sur-vey’s results, this has been a goodyear for Greek restaurants in whatZagat called the "preeminentrestaurant city in the world."

TOP RESTAURANTSOn top of the list of the best

Greek restaurants for 2006 is Esti-atorio Milos in midtown Man-hattan, with a rating of 26, and de-scribed as "extraordinary." Thisrating ranked Milos in the survey’sTop Food category, among suchhot Manhattan destinations as

Gramercy Tavern and UnionSquare Café.

Zagat surveyed customersraved about Milos’ "spectacular"seafood and "top-notch" staff.Some suggested the MidtownGreek restaurant as a stylish desti-nation "for those who can’t get toMount Olympus." Milos was alsofeatured in the survey’s best desti-nations for Business Dining and,of course, for seafood.

The relatively new restaurant,Onera, located on Manhattan’sUpper West Side, and the pio-neering Periyali restaurant in theFlatiron District are the second

highest rated Greek restaurants ofthe survey. Zagat has given both a25 rating, while Onera is also in-cluded in the survey’s Best New-comers list.

There couldn’t be a more un-likely pair: Onera serves contem-porary Greek cuisine, whilePeriyali – the first fine Greekrestaurant to open in New York inthe late 1980’s – sticks to a menuof traditional Greek cuisine.Customers praised Onera’schef/owner Michael Psilakis as "achef who really cares." As forPeriyali, it was praised for stillmanaging to shine "with its trade-

mark fabulous fresh fish."Two more Greek restaurants

tied in third place of the survey’sGreek favorites: Taverna Kycladesin Astoria, and Avra Estiatorio inManhattan’s Upper East Sidewere both given a 24 rating. Ky-clades’ food impressed customersfor being "as fresh as can be."Customers also love its outdoortables in the summertime, which"transport you to Mykonos." As forAvra, it is viewed as a "classic" with"incredibly fresh fish," served in a"friendly" atmosphere.

Thalassa restaurant in Tribecawas given a 23 rating for being "so-

phisticated" and "maybe more funthan Milos." The restaurant’smove to a new location has notchanged the fact that it serves the"freshest fish Downtown," accord-ing to the survey.

MANHATTANSome Greek restaurants scored

higher than others in Manhattan,but the sheer number of Greekrestaurants getting attention in theCity is astounding.

Molyvos, long considered oneof the best Greek restaurants inNew York, was rated at 23 for be-

NYC’s Greek Restaurants Rank High in 2006 Zagat Survey

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2 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005

A photo from the stand of Attiki Bee Culturing Co – AlexandrosPittas SA at the recent Anuga 2005 trade fair in Cologne, Germany,one of the world’s most important such event for food and bever-ages. The Greek company, which has successfully marketed tradi-tional Greek honey around the world, delighted visitors at the fairwith a large variety of products.Visitors from all over the world visited its stand and tasted theunique, award-winning Attiki Honey – a Greek honey from thymeand other flora – and the Fino Honey – a top-rated forest honey.Visitors also tasted Attiki’s traditional honey halva.This year, Attiki also presented a new range of products such as thetraditional Vanilla and Masticha sweets as well as brand newspreads, a combination of smooth-creamed sesame and honey. Since 1928, Attiki Company has been exporting all over the worldand has been honored with numerous international awards.

Attiki Company Gives International Fair a Taste of Honey

ing a "surprisingly fine Midtowntaverna," which serves "expertlyprepared" dishes.

Pylos scored 23 points for beingan "upscale" taverna with "reason-able" prices. "En Plo" was appreci-ated for its "quiet, neighborly vibe"which provides a "pure and simple"alternative in the West Side. It got22 points.

In the Village, Snack Taverna,also rated at 22, was deemed as"charming" with an upscale cuisinethat has "brio."

As for the "tiny" Soho Greekrestaurant, "Snack," also with a 22rating, it offers food "so delicious"those favoring larger spaces "won’tcare."

Trata Estiatorio got a 22 rating,as well, for being a "neighborhoodversion of Milos" on the East Side.

As for Ithaka restaurant, its"can’t-be-beat" grilled fish earnedthis Upper Eastside establishmenta 21 rating and kudos for its"warm, welcoming host."

Ethos on Third Avenue alsoscored 21 points. Surveyors said itwould make Poseidon proud forits "pristine whole fish."

Uncle Nick’s, a "loud" and "au-thentic" Greek destination in Hel-l’s Kitchen, offers Astoria prizesand an adjoining "ouzeri," strongfeatures which earned it a 20rating.

As for Niko’s MediterraneanGrill, it scored a respectable 19rating. It has a menu "the size of acoffee table book," but won overdifficult clients for its hospitality,"and for offering "the best values inthe (West Side)."

The Greek Kitchen on TenthAvenue and 58th Street was ratedat 18 by Manhattanites, who don’tfeel like taking the ride to Astoriain order to taste "simple, home-style," reasonably priced Greekdishes. On any given day, you’llfind CBS executives enjoyinglunch there.

Kyma got an 18 rating as a"peaceful" Midtown Greek restau-rant with "quick service."

As for Meltemi, also at 18points, it offers a "short trip to theGreek islands" and, due to its lo-cation near the United Nations, anadvantage for those who likecelebrity spotting, to go along withexcellent seafood.

With an 18 rating, Symposium,a "Columbia staple" near thehistoric Ivy League University, of-fers homestyle Greek fare at "stu-dent prices."

With a 17 rating, Metsovo inthe West Side is according to thesurvey a "sleeper" in this busyneighborhood and offers access toa "seductive" lounge.

ASTORIA & BROOKLYNDespite the culinary Greek rev-

olution going on in Manhattan,Astoria still has plenty of Greekrestaurants that will get a lot ofManhattanites across the Queens-borough (59th Street) Bridge.With plenty of restaurants, apartfrom Taverna Kyclades, which gotfavorable reviews in the Zagat sur-vey.

Demetris Seafood on Broad-way was rated at 23, for its "excep-tionally fresh" seafood and "mem-orable" Greek specialties. The Za-gat Survey ruled that the restau-rant is a yet "undiscovered gem."

Telly’s Taverna on 23rdAvenue got a 23 rating for its"amazing" fish and "beautiful" backpatio, even though customersnoted that its prices are "going up."

With a 22 rating, and servingsome of the freshest food daily,Stamatis restaurant, an all-timeGreek family favorite on Broad-way and between 31st and 32ndStreets, is "charming" and stoodout for its "hearty" Hellenic fare.

"Simplicity is the key" at EliasCorner in Astoria on 31st Streetand 24th Avenue, which also got a22 rating for its "ambrosial fish."

As for S’Agapo, it got a 22rating for serving "food that needsno translation," topped by fish"grilled to perfection."

Ploes is a "cheerful" alternativein the area with a "vast and good-value" menu.

Agnanti, a traditional Greekeatery with a Constantinopolitanflare right by Astoria Park, waspraised by customers for its "eclec-tic menu" and "fresh" home cook-ing.

Ammos, a new restaurant onSteinway Street above DitmarsBoulevard, although unrated, wascited in the survey as having "thefreshest seafood on land."

The "modern" and "mid-priced"cuisine of Cavo is matched by a"gorgeous" garden, the survey said.

Finally, in Astoria, there’s An-na’s Corner on 23rd Avenue and31st Street. Though not yet sur-veyed by Zagat, deserves an hon-orable mention here for its finecuisine.

As for Brooklyn Greeks, theymade it into the survey’s favoriterestaurants through Elia, a restau-rant in Bay Ridge cited for being"courteous" and "unassuming," andfor having, as expected, "fantasticseafood."

The popular Omonia Café cof-feehouse, with locations in bothBrooklyn and Astoria, woncustomers over for its "delectable"desserts, which accompany yourconversations over a glass offrappe coffee, a must-have in theGreek cafe culture.

And let’s not forget Colonakiand Plaka Cafes on Broadway,again in Astoria, for their greatcoffee and desserts.

So our readers don’t simplyhave to take the National Herald’sword for it. Zagat also stands byNew York’s Greek establishments.

Zagat Survey annually ratesseveral categories for restauran-ts: cuisine, service, atmosphereand prices. A score of 30 is thehighest rating, though it’s seldomor almost ever given. A score of17-19 is considered respectablygood; 20-22 is considered verygood; 23 or higher is consideredexcellent. For the purposes of thearticle above, the National Her-ald focused on the quality of thevarious establishments’ food.

NYC’s Greek RestaurantsRank High in Zagat’s

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When you advertise in The National Herald, Greek Americans pay attention

By Zoe TsineSpecial to The National Herald

NEW YORK. – For chef MikePsilakis, cooking a Greek recipeseems to be a process into answer-ing an essentially philosophicalquestion. In opening his Man-hattan restaurant "Onera" on theUpper West side last year, Mr. Psi-lakis didn’t just try to predict whatkind of Greek food his Man-hattanite clients would enjoy; butrather, to answer an essentiallyunanswerable question: What isGreek food after all?

"What makes a good Greekrestaurant?" the 36-year-old chefmused last week, during an in-terview with the National Heraldheld at the restaurant. On the

table was one steaming answer tothe above question: a plate of Mr.Psilakis’ unique rendition ofmousaka, cooked with goat meat,sautéed potatoes, eggplant andbéchamel, all of which were strati-fied into three layers, making acylindrical tower. The result wasdelicious. But was it mousaka?

"What is mousaka?" Mr. Psi-lakis asked again. "If you blind-folded my mother and gave her ataste of this dish, she would imme-diately recognize it as mousaka,but it is not how she cooks it," headded. "I respect Greek food tra-ditions, but what I tried to do herewas to go beyond mousaka andyouvetsi," he added.

Mr. Psilakis’ experiments withworld-famous Greek recipes have

paid off. Onera’s cuisine was ratedat 25 (excellent) in the prestigiousZagat Survey on New York Cityrestaurants for 2006, after a littlemore than one year in operation.The restaurant was also cited inthe survey’s best New York new-comers.

But finding success and answersto his culinary curiosity did notcome easy to Mr. Psilakis. Unlikemost Greek restaurant owners,Mr. Psilakis entered the food busi-ness by choice. He did not start ina family business and took years tostand on his own feet.

"My father was in the fur busi-ness and my mother was a tradi-tional Greek housewife, whocooked three times a day," he toldthe Herald. "When I was growing

up, we entertained friends and rel-atives in our house in Northport inSuffolk County all the time and asthe oldest son, I had the responsi-bility to get drinks or help my fa-ther with the lamb. I fell in lovewith the restaurant business be-cause it reminded me of the atmo-sphere in my own Greek house-hold," the chef added.

After graduating from collegewhere he studied accounting, theGreek American waited tables topay for law school. He met hiswife, while they both worked inT.G.I. Friday’s as waiters. Afterbeing introduced by a friend totwo Greek brothers, who ownedthe former Italian "Café Angelica"in Garden City Park, LI. Mr. Psi-lakis hit it off with his fellow GreekAmericans and soon moved onfrom waiting tables, to managingAngelica and later became apartner. When the brothers decid-ed to branch out into Manhattan,Mr. Psilakis kept Café Angelicaand was for the first time on hisown.

Soon, he would find out thatyou can’t run a restaurant, unlessyou can run its kitchen. "One day Iwent to the restaurant and the chefhad disappeared without anywarning, taking the kitchen’s staffwith him," Mr. Psilakis recalled. "Itwas a nightmare. That night I hadmany reservations."

It was then, that he decided totake full control of his business.He took over the kitchen andlearned how to cook through read-ing cookbooks, without ever at-tending a cooking class. Café An-gelica was soon renamed "Ecco" asMr. Psilakis realized his ownpotential and true inclination."Cooking is what I do. What I wasborn to do. It comes naturally tome," he said.

There is no reason to doubthim. Within two years after hetook up Ecco’s kitchen in his wonhands, the restaurant was enthusi-astically reviewed by New YorkMagazine. More writers and criticscame by after that article, all ofwhom encouraged Mr. Psilakis totry his luck in Manhattan. Onerawould open soon afterwards, fol-lowing the Athens Olympics, at a

time when Greece had suddenlygone into fashion.

In a sense, Onera –Greek for"dreams" – is a small restaurantwith big dreams, an alternativefamily restaurant located in a resi-dential area packed with fine cui-sine competitors. It has a small,cozy dining room with skylights,and is decorated in simple blueand white tones. Ionian columnsare matched with elegant photo-graphs of New York on the walls.

As in Onera’s dining-room col-ors, Mr. Psilakis has relied on thebasics of Greek cuisine in hiskitchen as well. He improviseswith traditional Greek ingredients,while reinterpreting traditionaland regional Greek dishes. Hismenu includes unusual culinary"studies" on cheese, fish and evenrose pedals, to re-interpretationsof traditional Greek dishes, with afocus on some unknown regionalrecipes. "Greek food is very re-gional just like Italian," he told theHerald. "It is a reflection of Greekhistory and all the peoples andtribes that conquered it throughthe centuries."

There are many unique region-al dishes on Onera’s menu. "Man-ti" is one of them, a cheese raviolidish inspired by a recipe cooked inmany Greek islands. Its combi-nation of sheep, goat and mizithracheese will perhaps be a little bittoo much for those without aGreek’s affinity with cheese. Mr.Psilakis is also proud of his"varenika" a pasta with sausage in-spired from a Cypriot dish; and hisversion of "hilopites" served withragu of braised rabbit, crispy arti-chokes, and kefalotiri cheese.

Similar daring steps have beentaken with seafood, such as an oc-topus appetizer, cooked withsweet noumboulo salami, grannysmith apples and mint leaves in ananchovy vinaigrette. Mr. Psilakis’seared sea scallops are equally un-predictable, served with braisedcauliflower and wilted spinach in acherry-caper-sage sauce.

"I like dishes that have a begin-ning, middle and end," Mr. Psilakissaid. His figs stuffed with kopanistiblue cheese and wrapped inprosciutto is an intoxicating exam-

ple of such a culinary journey. Mr. Psilakis even has dishes for

those swept up by New York’s lat-est sushi craze. The HawaiianLine-Caught is a "meze" of coldbites that matches raw fish withfruit preserves, and such tradition-al Greek flavors as mint, capersand onions.

Desserts include a traditional"ravani" with three oranges and asatisfying study in rose. Rose ped-als are cooked on many Greek is-lands. The Red Rose Sampling in-cludes rose petal-scented creme,one sugary rose "loukoumi," deli-cious rose ice-cream and milkshake.

Mr. Psilakis takes his modernGreek cuisine very seriously. Heconsiders himself more than just amediator between Greece’s culi-nary past and the savvy Americanpublic. Onera is a fitting name fora restaurant that has based itsmenu equally on experience andfantasy, a menu designed by a chefwho loves Greek food for all that itis and all that it can be.

"Our parents left Greece in the1950s and took a snapshot of theirhomeland," Mr. Psilakis said."When they came to the UnitedStates, they tried to keep thatsnapshot alive in everything theydid. We were all raised in avacuum."

And in a sense, he added,Greek food is a reflection of thatearly immigrant’s attitude. "Greekfood can be so much more thanthat," he reflected. "Onera is an at-tempt to show people what Greekfood can be if we elevate it beyondthe status of the peasant food ofour ancestors. The reason why theFrench, Italian and Spanish havemade their cuisine so popular isbecause they took the food cookedin their countries for centuries andchanged it. It wasn’t in order tomake it better but in order to takethe teachings of their ancestorsand move forward with them.."

Onera is located at 222 West79th Street in Manhattan (be-tweem Amsterdam and Broad-way). Contact: (212) 873-0200 oroneranyc@aol.com. Open everyday for lunch and dinner.

THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005 Greek Food&Wine 3

Taking Greek Food to a New, Dreamy Direction"Onera" Restaurant Brings Contemporary Greek cuisine to New Heights

By Zoe Tsine

NEW YORK. – Thousands ofGreek and non-Greek New York-ers have enjoyed the OnassisFoundation’s cultural "treats."Since this past April, visitors to theOnassis Cultural Center can enjoysome actual Greek treats at theOnassis Café, an elegant new des-tination in the lobby of theOlympic Tower Atrium at 645Fifth Avenue.

Located in one of Manhattan’supscale neighborhoods, the Caféserves top-quality food albeit inreasonable prices. "Everything weserve is top-quality and absolutelyfresh," said the Café’s managerSofia Doxiadis. The menu, sheadded, is a mix of Europeangourmet and Greek homemade

specialties such as dolmathakia,spinach- meat- and eggplant-pies,salad, youvarlakia and lentil soup.Greek sweets include baklava andGreek cookies-koulourakia, aswell as Christmas melomakarona.All of the above is made by "aGreek New York housewife,"added Mrs. Doxiadis. The Euro-pean side of the menu has paninis,croissants, wood-roasted Italiancoffee and organic tea. "Our pricesare 10-15% down from Starbucks,"she said.

Perhaps the most unique aspectof the Onassis Café however, is itslocation in the same lobby as theCenter’s elegant Hellenic Muse-ums Shop and above the mainOnassis Foundation exhibitionhall. In this unique building, youcan admire the lobby’s marvelous

casts of the Parthenon Marbles,buy Greek artifacts at the Shopand now, enjoy a traditional Greekrecipe over coffee. And althoughthere are cafes in major New Yorkmuseums, this year, the OnassisFoundation promises uniqueGreek-related exhibitions, such asa show featuring Byzantinetreasures from Athens’ BenakiMuseum.

It is no surprise that the Café isalready doing well. "Lunch ispacked," said Mrs Doxiadis, "andwe have also hosted large events.We will soon be adding wine andGreek ‘meze’ to our menu."

The Café is open form 9 am to 5pm on weekdays and also offers"express" take-out service from7:30 am to 3:30 pm. For more in-formation contact, (212) 838-9113.

Onassis Café adds Flavor to Culture

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4 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005

w w w . t h e n a t i o n a l h e r a l d . c o m

By Zoe TsineSpecial to The National Herald

NEW YORK. - In her book"The Philosopher’s Kitchen:Recipes from Ancient Greece andRome for the Modern Cook," foodhistorian Francine Segan doesmore than offer alternative so-lutions to your dinner parties. Mrs.Segan educates the reader aboutthe ingredients, dishes, diningcustoms and entertainments of theancient world, showing that Greekand Roman culinary habits stirred,sizzled and glazed all those greatancient concepts, philosophy in-cluded.

Mrs. Segan has drawn from var-ious sources to compile her collec-tion of ancient delights, includingrepresentations of daily life onGreek vases and Roman frescoes;archaeological finds such as thelava-preserved findings of Pom-peii; and of course a large pool ofancient text, from poems andplays, to historical accounts andpersonal correspondence by suchgreat minds like Hippocrates,Plato, Aristotle, Aristophanes,Plutarch, Cicero, Marcus Aureliusand Tacitus, among others.

Among her main sources is a2nd century AD cook book called"The Philosopher’s Banquet" andthe 1st century manual "De Re Co-quinaria" (On Cookery), the oldestsurviving cookbook in the world.

Mrs. Segan however, is no slaveto research. She has used hersources as inspiration to let herimagination fly. "The Philoso-pher’s Kitchen" is not only aboutwhat kinds of flavors and aromasmight have inspired Plato’s mus-ings but also about what ancientGreeks and Romans might haveproduced with their ingredientshad they had a blender available tothem, along with that clay pot.

Many of the recipes that appearin the book, like Spaghetti withCaramelized Onions, were notserved during the feast describedin Plato’s "Symposium" – as an-cient Greeks did not havespaghetti as we know it today – butit is an imaginative and easy-to-make modern twist on the ancien-ts’ version of pasta: dry sheets ofdough, which they baked.

Other recipes however, areprovided by Mrs. Segan as they ap-

peared on ancient text like Lambon Skewers with Mint Marmalade,which was featured on a list of 100recipes by the Roman gourmetApicius.

Another such scrumptiousexample is her list of appetizerssuch as the Herbed Olive Puree,which is based on a recipe by Cato,a Roman orator and statesman.Cato instructed the ancient cookto make this dip by chopping olivesand adding "olive, vinegar, corian-der, cumin, fennel, rue, mint" andthen cover with oil again beforeserving.

Mrs. Segan accompanies herrecipes with facts from antiquity’sfood and entertaining customs.Olives were apparently cultivated

in the Mediterranean since 2,500BC and Plato was referred to as a"fig lover."

Mrs. Segan honors Plato’smemory with three fig appetizers:figs cooked in wine, topped withcheese and sprinkled with lemonzest; figs stuffed with pistachio anddrizzled with honey; and figstopped with prosciutto anddrizzled with wine syrup. Onewonders if such temptations wouldmake Plato’s ideal concept of aRepublic possible to sustain by itscitizens.

Apart from figs, ancient Greeksand Romans did great things withfish. In an ancient red snapperrecipe, Mrs. Segan substitutes theGreeks’ habit of cooking fishwrapped in fig leaves with parch-ment paper and adds capers, olivesand bay leaves as seasoning.

Scallops with Garlic, Crisps andCreamy Arugula is one moreseafood recipe that will certainlymake your dinner guests say HailAphrodite. The ancient Goddess,Mrs. Segan tells us, was carried tothe shores of Cyprus in a giantshell, thus the still-prevailing ru-mor of this sea creature’s "aphro-disiac" effect on humans.

Other ingredients used by Mrs.Segan are mint, an ancient symbolof hospitality, and onions, which

ancients served at wedding feasts –along with scallops perhaps? – sonewlyweds could "seek the door ofVenus."

The book’s dessert chapter, en-titled Ambrosia Desserts, is rich infruits, such as peaches, dates, ap-ples and, you guessed it, figs. Likeits title reveals, the chapter is in-spired by Greek mythology. Therecipe for Honey-feta GriddleBread makes use of two ingredien-ts, which according to myth werehanded down to man by a son ofApollo with a mortal princess. Thehalf-god-half-mortal Mrs. Seganexplains, taught humans the arts ofcheese-making and bee-keeping.

Mrs. Segan writes that shehopes "The Philosopher’s Kitchen"will help her readers connect tothe past and inspire them to hostfeasts that will make loved-ones"linger at your table for longhours."

So, she fittingly closes her bookwith a chapter on Menus and En-tertaining, which also offers her in-sights on the "Philosophy of Con-versation." She suggests fivemenus for sit-down dinners, buf-fets and parties and accompaniesher ideas with famous quotes toprovoke animated discussions.

Indeed, ancient Greeks loved agood conversation as much as theyloved a good meal and eating wasto them, an activity man shouldteach himself to enjoy. As the 5thCentury historian Xenophon in-forms us, writing about his con-temporary Socrates, the philoso-pher liked pre-dinner exercise,rubdowns and baths in one ofAthens’ abundant gymnasiums. Atdinner, Socrates discussedanything from the benefits of wine,to money, which he thought tookaway one’s freedom.

Xenophon tells us that, "in wri-ting of great men it is proper torecord not only their serious activi-ties but also their diversions." It isthanks to historians likeXenophon, and food historianslike Mrs. Segan, that readers todaycan have a taste of ancient wisdomand ancient diversion.

The Philosopher’s Kitchen ismarvelously illustrated andprovides an index and an exten-sive bibliography. It is publishedby Random House Inc. Price: $35.

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By Zoe TsineSpecial to The National Herald

NEW YORK. – Go down thesteps on 35 West 20th Street inManhattan’s Flatiron District andyou will suddenly find yourself inGreece. Everything at the famousPeriyali restaurant, from the menuand the linen strips hanging likesails from the ceiling, to the pic-tures of Greece on the walls andthe display of traditional Greeksweets at the entrance, spellsGreece. And its owners pledge tokeep things that way.

"Everything at Periyali is 100%Greek," said Mr. Sotiris "Steve" Tzo-lis, co-owner of the restaurant withMrs. Nicola Kotsoni, who has alsodesigned the decor. Dressed impec-cably with a suit and tie and sportinga gold ring and black-rimmed glass-es, Mr. Tzolis prided about Periyali’sfaithfulness to Greek culinary tradi-tions and his dedication to bringingquality Greek food to New Yorkers.And New Yorkers have consistentlyrewarded them for his food. A smallindication is its consistently fa-vorable reviews in top Americanpublications, and its recent placingin the 2006 Zagat Survey, with an"excellent" 25 rating for its food.

"Greeks have nobody to be jeal-ous of when it comes to our food;not the French, not the Italians, no-body," Mr. Tzolis said. "And this," headded, putting his hand on the blue-and-white two-page menu on thetable, "is the ‘bible’ of Periyali. Thishasn’t changed since we opened."

There most important testamentto Mr. Tzolis’ claims is the mere factthat Periyali has survived in a multi-ethnic city, where lately, Greekrestaurants seem to be popping uplike mushrooms. Periyali was thefirst restaurant to introduce Man-hattanites to "lahanodolmades" andoctopus grilled the Greek way.These and many more items are stillcooked and served in a way youryaya would definitely approve.

Just in time, a plate of mousakaarrives at the table, the smell ofcardamon filling the air. Its egg-plants –baked instead of fried-melt in your mouth. So do the wildstray bass and the octopus, whichhas been grilled over charcoal.

The "kotopoulo fournou," aroasted chicken wrapped in phyllodough was one of the day’s special-ties and it was exquisite. Othermust-try appetizers are the "lahan-odolmades" (stuffed cabbageleaves) and "dolmadakia" (stuffedgrape-leaves) two traditional Greekentrees, and the sautéed chicken liv-ers served with lentils, onions andcarrots.

The wine menu honored Greektradition as well, with 40 Greekwines out 75 in total, many of whichare made from indigenous Greekvarieties. Desserts included deli-

cious "kourambiedes" and "melo-makarona" -their almonds and wal-nuts are as fresh and crispy as theyget- traditional "diples" turnovers,and the Greek walnut cake "karido-pita."

At Periyali, you can indeed relyon every bite tasting essentiallyGreek, the way you rely on theParthenon standing straight on topof the Acropolis. It’s not that Mr.Tzolis doesn’t like taking risks. Hearhim talk about his life and his careerin business and you have the sensehe has managed to balance a milliontasks through the years. He came tothe United States in 1967 and likemost Greek immigrants of that timehe started from scratch. In Greece,he had been a national champion incycling. (He continues to hold arecord from those days).

Once in New York, he bumpedinto his first opportunity literally, af-ter coming across a Greek U.N.diplomat, whom he had met at a re-ception in honor of Greek athletesin Athens. Soon afterwards, hestarted working at the PermanentMission of Greece to the UnitedNations. To make ends meathowever, he also washed dishes inrestaurants. Three and a half yearslater, he decided to go after theAmerican dream full time. "InAmerica you evaluate yourself. Yousee that if you have a brain and wantto work hard you can be a success,"he said.

Success came soon for Mr. Tzoliswith several award-winning restau-rants serving American and Frenchcuisine. But his Greek clientswouldn’t let him rest on his laurels."They urged me to open a Greekrestaurant in the City," he recalled.After Periyali opened in 1987, moreGreek restaurants followed. "Greekfood has found its way in New YorkCity," he added: "My recipe for asuccessful restaurant has threerules: own the building; use yourown money; and be present to over-see its operation."

At 67, Mr. Tzolis owns a total offive New York restaurants, -includ-ing the Morrocan "Chez Es Saada"and the Italian "Il Cantinori"- as wellas hotels, like the luxury Hotel Gir-rafe on Park Avenue. As for "ThePeriyali Cookbook: New ClassicGreek Cooking," which he signedalong with Mrs. Kotsoni and culi-nary expert Holly Garrison, he saidit is now in its third edition.

It is a long way for a man whowas born in the poor rural villageof Dovrena near Thebes in centralGreece, and has been workingsince the age of 11. "I will stopworking when I die," he said, in be-tween business phone-calls. "I ownall the buildings, where my restau-rants are located," he adds. "I don’twant to rely on anybody else. Idon’t have investors or too manypartners." What about Periyali’s

female co-owner? "We have hadan excellent collaboration for 30years. In business there is no roomfor male egos," he says.

But when it comes to the food,Mr. Tzolis is less lenient. "The bestGreek food is the authentic "spitiko"(homemade) food," he says. "Thefood your mother and grandmothermake. I don’t have a problem withtrying out different ingredients. Youcan serve fillet mignon if you like, oryou can make mousaka like my chefdoes, with baked eggplant instead offried eggplant. But don’t change the

recipe. Greek food doesn’t change.It is a tradition."

Initially, Mr. Tzolis brought tra-ditional Greek cooks from variousparts of Greece to design Periyali’smenu. Some of them keep comingback to make sure no one is hittingany wrong, non-Greek notes. "Kyra-Rene (Mrs. Irene, a famous Greekcook from the island of Patmos) iscoming back next week," said Mr.Tzolis. The restaurant’s permanentchef, Mr. Thomas Xanthopouloshas been cooking here fulltime for18 years. "Time can only show if

what you are doing is right," the cheftold the Herald.

And time has been good toPeriyali. Its owners considered ren-ovating its interiors recently, buthad to hold on to their plans as thefood turned out to be more popularthan they expected. "Just when I wasthinking it was time for somechange, new reviews came out andthey were so good, the restaurantwas packed. I couldn’t close it downto renovate; but we will do it soonenough," Mr. Tzolis said.

"A lot of Greeks that came to

Manhattan and opened restaurantsmade the mistake of trying to com-pete by lowering prices instead ofgoing for quality," Mr. Tzolis added."That’s wrong. Here, the prices andthe menu don’t change. This is whowe are."

"Periyali" is located at 32 East10th Street (between 5th and 6thAvenues) in Manhattan. Openweekdays for lunch and dinner.Saturdays open only for dinner.Sundays closed. Contact (212)673-6044.

THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005 Greek Food&Wine 5

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6 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005

committee that would compile atraditional Greek cookbook in En-glish to help raise the funds. Alsoknown as "The Recipe Club of St.Paul Greek Orthodox Church," thecommittee included sixteenwomen: Mrs. George Arapakis,Mrs. Tom Barbatsuly, Mrs. GeorgeCalfo, Mrs. Theodore Carnavos,Mrs. Peter Carpou, Mrs. JamesCidis, Mrs. William Djinis, Mrs.George Hayes, Mrs. James Kollar,Mrs.Christ Lourekas, Mrs.CharlesMaravel, Mrs. George Papadeas+,Mrs.James Pappas, Mrs. MichaelPoulos, Mrs.James Skeados, andMrs. Lee Vlahakis.

From that initial group, Ara-pakis, Calfo, Carnavos, Carpou,Djinis, Kollar, Maravel and Poulosmoved away from the community,and were replaced by new mem-bers by l965.

As in all things Greek, thesewomen had a mission: to write acookbook for their children.However, they were aware that itmight fall into the heads of somenon-Greek cooks. So they testedtheir recipes again and again in or-der to compile a collection thatwould best represent Greek cui-sine. In 1959, the Recipe Clubraised money to pay for the publi-cation of a soft cover volume en-titled "The Grecian Gourmet."

Market-Savvy BusinesswomenThe committee’s women were -

apart from good cooks- especiallymarket-savvy businesswomen. TheRecipe Club made sure a copy oftheir self-funded book reached thedesk of Craig Claybourn, the well-known New York Times food crit-ic. Claybourn raved about the bookin an extended review, whichproved pivotal for the immediateresponse to its publication as wellas to its future. The book becamean instant hit.

Around that time, fate smiled atthe Recipe Club and their culinaryart. Doubleday and Company wasissuing a series of cookbooks underthe collective title format, "The Artof Italian Cooking," "The Art ofGerman Cooking" etc. The famousfood writer that Doubleday ap-proached to write a book aboutGreek cooking with a similar titlehad just read the Claybourn reviewand suggested to his editor, to con-

tact the committee’s Greekwomen. As a result, the volume"The Art of Greek Cookery" -pub-lished by Doubleday in 1961- cred-ited The Recipe Club of St. Paul.The book was distributed national-ly.

Test and SimplifyThe ladies involved in this pro-

ject were serious about their work.They took the time and trouble totest and simplify the book’srecipes: they cooked the recipesthemselves and offered their in-sights, as well as variations of eachrecipe; while they also included inthe recipes a list of ingredients andaccurate measurements of theirproportions.

This process required that theyounger women had to watch the

older women, who knew how tocook without measuring, and makethe calculations. The ladies alsopromoted the volume.

After the success of "The Art ofGreek Cookery," Doubleday wan-ted the Recipe Club to write a fol-low-up. The women agreed, butdecided to revise the Club’s mem-bership, which was still a closed or-ganization, and include severalnew women: Katherine Boulukos,Lydia Barris, Nina Bendo, CarolEfthimiou, Dede Hirsch, HelenMilukas, Mary Mormanis, AthenaPhilippides, Polidora Prieston,Maria Prois, and Epiphany Touris.The new group published "The Re-gional Cuisines of Greece" (NewYork: Doubleday/hardcover) in1981. The book, which did well insales, was aimed at going "beyondChicken kapama to chickenbreasts wrapped in phyllo." Soonafterwards however, Doubleday’smanagement decided to get out ofthe ethnic cookbook business. Microwave Ovens and Blenders

The hard-to-deter Recipe Com-mittee found a new publisher,Harper Collins. At this stage, thecommittee selected recipes fromthe previous books and once againcollectively tested and simplifiedthem. This effort resulted in "The

Complete Book of Greek Cook-ing" (New York: Harper Collins,1990). The book is the most up-dated volume produced by TheRecipe Club of St. Paul’s Cathe-dral. These recipes were tested andsimplified with the help of mi-crowave ovens and blenders. Itsauthors also incorporated recipesthat reflected the modern Ameri-can notions of healthy diet, and themedia hype over the Mediter-ranean Diet and the importance ofsuch traditional Greek ingredientsas olive oil and phyllo dough.

Rightly ProudThe volume has since moved

from hardcover to paperback andgarnered steadily good sales alongthe way. It must be noted that thislatest volume is not dedicated stric-tly to food. Various menus are in-cluded, as well as a glossary of foodterms and wines. Greek traditions,calendar events, and other customsare prominently featured as well.

Individual members of TheRecipe Club have never receivedreimbursement for their work.Over $400,000 generated from thesales of their books has been do-nated to the St. Paul Cathedral.The Recipe Club is rightly proud ofthe fact that notable material andartistic improvements to theCathedral are attributed to the suc-cess of their books. Donations havegone to St. Paul’s stunning mosaicsand their outstanding parish organ.

This success story has won theattention of other Greek com-munities, which have sought outthe Recipe Club in order to learnhow to go about compiling a Greekcookbook. Members of the Clubhave promoted their books in de-partment stores and food shows,letting Americans know that thereis more to Greek food than baklavaand salad with feta cheese sprin-kled on top.

Historians have yet to deter-mine which of the Greek churchesin North America first issued anEnglish language cookbook pre-senting traditional Greek cookery.Regardless of their ultimate con-clusions, it will always be the casethat the Recipe Club of the St. PaulGreek Orthodox Church parishhas through its long series of publi-cations, served their communitywith distinction, honor andunyielding faith.

The Greek Cook Book in North America Continued from page 1

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Will Greek wines ever earn thereputation necessary to compete onequal terms in the world market? Ifthey do, it will most likely be be-cause of the efforts made by suchpioneer Greek winemakers asGeorge and Ann Kokotos.

The couple founded DomaineG. Kokotos in 1979. GeorgeKokotos, a civil engineer by profes-sion and a pioneering spirit bynature, was among the first Greekwine producers in a wave that con-centrated on producing limitedquantities of fine wine.

The Kokotoses put their theoryof winemaking to practice in theirprivate estate, which they run as afamily business. The estate is lo-cated in northern Attica on thefoothills of Mount Pendeli. It was afitting choice. The Mountain wasaccording to Greek mythology oneof the favorite spots of Dionysus,the god of wine. It was in this areathat, according to Greek mytholo-gy, Dionysus first taught man thecultivation of the vine and intro-duced the culture of wine making

to the ancient Greeks.The area was wellknown to the ancientsfor producing highquality wines. The re-mains of the theatre ofDionysus, built in thegod’s honor, can stillbe visited here today.

A p p a r e n t l y ,Dionysus brought luckto the new company aswell. Their wines havebeen well receivedboth on the Greekmarket and abroadand have won many in-ternational awards aswell as favorable press coverage.The first wines produced by Do-maine G. Kokotos were named"Semeli" after Dionysus’ mother.Semeli wines are currently beingexported to the United States andCanada, as well as to the U.K. andGermany.

The company’s 7,5-hectarvineyards are at a high altitude(around 450 meters), where coldwinters and cool nights during thesummer provide the ideal condi-tions for the ripening of the grapes.

The vineyards have graduallybeen re-planted since 1980 with in-ternational grape varieties likeCabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnayand Merlot. But the Kokotoseshave not snubbed indigenousGreek varieties like the local grapeSavatiano, which they have used tomake some of their best wines.

A small winery was also built inthe area in 1981 and is constantlybeing improved and modernized.The winery too, is run as a familybusiness. The Kokotoses live onthe estate, where Mrs. Kokotosmanages the winery and managesexports and Mr. Kokotos overseesthe vineyards and serves as the es-tate’s financial director. Advisingthe couple are Bordeaux-trainedagronomist-oenologue AntonisPopolanos and viticulturistParaskevas Evangeliou. Both con-sultants have a wide experience oflocal conditions and of workingwith both international and indige-nous grape varieties.

The estate’s first wines wereproduced in 1981. The Savatianowhite Semeli was hailed as aground-breaking wine from thestart. It was followed by anotherKokotos favorite, the red ChateauSemeli. The wine has achieved cultstatus in Greece and internationalrecognition, amassing numerousawards since 1993. The winery con-tinued its philosophy of carefulsourcing of good quality grapescombined with skilled winemakingto produce a range of wines usingmore and more indigenous vari-eties such as Roditis, Moschofilero

and Agiorgitiko. The winery is now equipped

with state-of the art wine-makingtechnology: two pneumatic presses- a Willmes and a Bucher, - stain-less steel tanks, chilling equipmentfor cold fermentation and stabi-lization, a Gai bottling plant andair-conditioned underground cel-lars for barrel ageing in French oakcasks, which are regularly renewed.

In 1996, a new tasting room wasinaugurated at the estate andvisitors are now admitted for toursand wine tastings. Being just anhour away from Athens, the estateis ideally situated for foreigntourists and locals. Several eventsand activities such as book presen-tations, poetry evenings, cookingcourses and exhibitions by localartists have been held at the estate.

In 1999, the Kokotoses decidedto invest in new vineyards in the ap-pellation area of Nemea, anotherfavorite area of the ancient Greeks.With a new partner and a 20-year-experience, Mr. Kokotos embarkedon the construction of a new win-ery: the Domaine Helios in Koutsi.

The new, state-of-the-art wineryis located on a slope, which over-looks the plain of Nemea. Its mainbuilding was designed appropriate-ly, with a curved roof giving thesense of being on the peak of thehill. Guest rooms and suites as wellas a restaurant are available tovisitors. In 2003, with the help andexperience of local oenologistLeonidas Nasiakos, the new win-ery’s first vintage wine was a sensa-tion.

Both of Domaine’s wineries arenow equipped to produce largerquantities, while retaining the at-tention to detail and quality, whichhas characterized the Semeli wines.75% of production is from grapescarefully selected from vineyards inboth northern Attica and the Pelo-ponnese.

Domaine Kokotos now pro-duces approximately 350,000bottles in total per year, of as manyas 10 different wines, all of whichare available for export.

8 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005

Much is currently being said about a new gener-ation of Greek winemakers, who have brought aboutthe renaissance of the country’s wine industry by estab-lishing top-notch estate wineries. Ktima Kir-Yianni orin English, "Sir John’s estate" has paved the way for thisgroundbreaking trend.

The estate, located in the village of Yianakohori,near the northern town of Naoussa, is also a symbol ofthe evolution of the famous Boutari Company. It ap-propriately carries the name of its founder YiannisBoutaris and was named around the time of the com-pany’s centennial.

The pioneer winemaker’s grandson and namesakeplanted 35 hectars of xinomavro, a local red grape vari-ety, at the estate in the late 1960s. It was an enormousand pioneering investment at the time and it spear-headed the revival of the prized Naoussa Appellation.

By the 1990s, Yiannis Boutaris had completed theconstruction of a new winery within the estate and hadplanted an additional 5 hectares of merlot and syrah.As the estate came of age, a new company was formedto market its wines independently from the BoutariGroup. Today, a popular blend of xinomavro and mer-lot is the estate’s flagship, while a classic NaoussaA.O.C. and several other wines of limited productioncomplement the estate’s portfolio. The wedding of anancient local variety with a noble international varietycame up, not only to meet the demands of the modernwine market, but also as a result of the spirit of

progress that distinguishes Boutaris winemaking.Boutari Company prides itself on Ktima Kir-Yianni

being a hallmark of the constant blending of traditionand innovation to produce great wine. The Boutarisfamily is in charge of everything at the estate. YiannisBoutaris’ older son, Stellios, a wine expert, is in chargeof management and sales, while his younger son, Mi-halis, also an expert in winemaking, is the director ofthe vineyard and winery operations.

Ktima Kir-Yianni is a member of The Associationof Wine Producers of Northern Greece, ENOAVE,which links up wineries with local hotels, restaurants,archaeological sights, and other tourist attractionswithin an E.U.-funded network of agrotourism. Privatetours and tastings are hosted at the estate with prior ar-rangements. For any additional inquiries contactwww.kiryianni.gr

Making Wine Where Dionysus RoamedDomaine G. Kokotos, a Pioneer in Fine Greek Wine

Ktima Kir-Yianni:An Estate Worth Much More than a Name

THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005 Greek Food&Wine 9

ATHENS - Despite California’srecent boom in wine production,the imported wine sector continuesto develop in the United States. Butin spite of the stiff competition,Greek wines, such as the BoutariMoschofilero, have managed tostand out.

"After the California wine‘boom’ in the beginning of the 1990sand the appearance of about 2,000new wineries in the United States,there were several wine industrymergers. Wine distribution has de-veloped drastically during the lastdecade in the country’s supermar-kets. Until recently, there were onlyliquor stores," said Mr. Samaras, ex-port director of the pioneeringGreek company Boutari Wineriesin an interview with the Herald."The U.S. has the 32nd largest wineconsumption worldwide. The com-petition in imported wines, coupledwith California’s overproductionand the economic recession has ledto a drastic and continuous pricedrop."

But the first signs of the Ameri-can consumers’ taste opening-up todifferent wines are here, Mr. Sama-ras pointed out. "Wines from Chile,Australia, South Africa or Argenti-na, as well as unknown indigenousvarieties are selling well. That is asign of change," he said. "The Amer-ican consumer has become very re-ceptive to new and different things,provided that they come at attrac-tive prices and packages. The Zin-fandel, a low quality semi-sweetwine, held a remarkable marketshare until recently but due to theincreasingly wine-savvy Americanpublic, it is no longer selling well."

At the same time, good wineslike the Pinot Noir -launched in theU.S. in the 1980s by the wineries ofOregon- have penetrated the mar-ket very rapidly, he said. "The recipefor success is simple: wines that areeasy on the palate, fruity, well-bal-anced, without the heavy flavours ofwood of the ‘Wooden Chardonnaysof California.’"

In order for this "recipe for suc-

cess" to reach an American wine-lover’s palate however, it needs helpfrom the wine press and media.Wine importers should put an em-phasis on properly marketing theirproducts through the right media,Mr. Samaras said, since wine in theU.S. is "relatively new" and was, un-til recently, considered an "elite"product. "Even today it competeswith Coca Cola and Beer. Americais an ultra-competitive market," headded.

In the past five years, BoutariWineries has put together a specificaction plan to target this "ultra com-petitive". market. "We have upgrad-ed the image of the Greek Wine andexported super-premium wines incompetitive prices. We have alsoaimed at educating U.S. consumersthrough extensive advertising andare participating in a collective ac-tion taken by the Greek wine in-dustry," Mr. Samaras added.

"Greek importers need a correctand rational price policy, coupledwith a selection of the right produc-

ts. Why market Chardonnay orMerlot when there are alreadythousands of other such wines fromall over the world? Why not marketGreek varieties, even if they havedifficult names to pronounce? IfAmericans can pronouncegewuerztraminer, soon they will beable to pronounce moschofilero,"he added.

And htey ahve. By betting on thsiindegenous Greek grape, BoutariWineries have served America awine success-story. Their dry whiteBoutari Moschofilero has seen "anexplosion in sales" in the U.S. andenjoyed great reviews from poromi-nent sommeliers. The wine is madeexclusively from moschofilerograpes that are grown in high el-evation vineyards in the region ofMantinia in the Peloponnese. "To-day, American consumers know,pronounce and duly appreciatemoschofilero, which is in my opin-ion, the sole success of the Greekwine industry in the U.S. market,"Mr. Samaras concluded.

By Zoe TsineSpecial to The National Herald

NEW YORK. - Almost eightyears after first introducing itsRapsani appellation in the UnitedStates, Tsantali, one of the oldestand most highly acclaimed wine-makers in Greece, is still a firm be-liever in this "godly" blend.

The Rapsani appellation iscultivated in the small town of Rap-sani, which is located on thefoothills of Mount Olympus. Tsan-tali is the only Greek company tohave vineyards and wineries in thearea, where it is currently produc-ing two wines: the Rapsani and theRapsani Epilegmenos Reserve.

"For us, Rapsani wines are morethan just wines. They are our bet inthe United States market," said Mr.Perikles Drakos, export managerof the century-old Greek winemak-ing company.

Tsantali’s marketing strategyhas its roots in history. The Rap-sani village began its winemakinghistory in the Byzantine era. By the18th century, viticulture was the

main agricultural occupation of itspeople. Edward Clarke, an Englishtourist, wrote in 1816 that the wineof Rapsani had "the best taste of allthe wines of Greece."

What exactly produces thistaste? "Rapsani is a unique appel-lation that contains the indigenousgrapes xinomavro, stavroto,krassato," said Mr. Drakos.Matched together, these varietalsproduce a wine that is "well-made,with great ageing potential and aunique purple-red color," he added.

The Rapsani wine, a deep pur-ple-red wine with a round balancedflavor and velvety texture is "idealto complement foie gras, poultry,lightly seasoned red meats and full-flavored cheeses," said Mr. Drakos.

The Rapsani Epilegmenos is al-so deep purple-red in color, andhas a juicy blackcurrant flavor. It isbest served with dark red meatscooked with rich and spicy sauces.

The Rapsani appellation’s fea-tures however would not be madepossible without the region’sunique climate. Tsantali’svineyards in the area have a prox-

imity to the sea and enjoy manyhours of sunshine, which facilitatethe ripening of the grapes. Mt.Olympus supplies the vineyardswith melted ice water, which mod-erates the heat during the summersthus permiting a slow developmentof the grapes, which enriches themwith "all the elements that produceexceptional quality wine."

As for the area’s soil, it consistsmainly of iron-rich schist, an im-portant quality factor that reg-ulates the water capacity of the soil.The soil’s structure enables thepenetration of the roots deep intothe sub-soil, so that the vine doesnot suffer from lack of moistureduring the summer.

Another important factor in theappellation’s quality is the altitudeof the Rapsani vineyards at 250-800 metres. The vineyards enjoy along harvesting period of nearly amonth.

Bred under such "Olympic" con-ditions and processed with Tsan-tali’s long experience, Rapsaniwines have won acclaim in majorinternational wine tastings and

wine publications. Rapsani is ac-cording to Tsantali the mostawarded Greek wine currently inthe market, one of the only 12wines that took part in the largestwine tasting in the world at theWeinwelt wine festival in Munich.The Rapsani appellation also wonkudos by sommeliers during the In-ternational Sommelier Competi-tion’s formal dinner in Athens, asthe "up and coming appellation ofthe Greek vineyard."

Lovers of vinticulture can wit-ness the place where this uniqueappellation is created at Tsantali’svineyards and winery at Rapsani,which are open to visitors. Here,said Mr. Drakos one can enjoyapart from a taste of its wines, thestunning natural beauty andunique culture of the region."Winemakers and producers havemade a concerted effort to marketGreek wines in the American mar-ket in the past years," he conclud-ed. "We believe that the Rapsaniappellation can become one of theleaders in this new era for Greekwine."

Purple-Red Wines, Favored by the Gods "Parkerization" Threatens GreekWine Personality Says Expert

By Zoe TsineSpecial to The National Herald

NEW YORK – So what are the effects of globalization on the USwine industry? According to Mrs. Kathy Spiliotopoulos, executive vicepresident of Nestor Imports, there is currently an alarming trend to de-fine the merits of a given wine based on a rather unilateral set of stan-dards. "Haven’t you noticed that many of the highly rated pricey winestaste almost the same?" she asked during an interview with the NationalHerald. Nestor Imports, co-owned by Mrs. Spiliotopoulos with her hus-band Mr. Aristides Spiliotopoulos, has marketed high-quality, award-winning Greek wines and spirits in the United States for over 20 years.

Mrs. Spiliotopoulos said much of the blame for this "alarming trend"belongs to Robert Parker, a wine critic whose ratings have been influen-tial enough to allow producers to increase the price of their wines basedon his high ratings. Mr. Parker’s practices have earned him his own term.‘Parkerization’ is according to Mrs. Spiliotopoulos threatening winemak-ers and importers that bet on different wines like those made from in-digenous Greek varietals.

"The term ‘Parkerization’ indicates that the personality of a wine hasbeen changed to obtain higher scores from Robert Parker so that the win-ery can make more money. Mr. Parker favors wines that are ‘big’ heavilyoaked, with lots of fruit flavor and a high alcohol content. This narrowrange of taste excludes many of the fine, food-friendly European wines."

She said that a counterrevolution is emerging, spearheaded by wineexperts, reviewers and wine makers who know that "the beauty and won-der of wine lies also in its diversity, not in one man’s taste buds."

Thanks in part to Nestor Imports, the prestigious "Business Week"magazine published a full-page article in its October 10 issue entitled,"Way Past Retsina" (reprinted in The National Herald’s English Editionon October 15). The article featured bottle pictures of Kourtaki Vin DeCrete, Kourtakis Samos Muscat, and Amethystos white, along with textthat lauded these and Kouros Nemea among others. The article wascomplimented with a radio "Pod Cast" interview between the writerDavid Kiley, Mrs. Spiliotopoulos, and Mr. Michael Psilakis, chef of theGreek Onera Restaurant in Manhattan.

"There are 5,8 million people that read Business Week worldwide,"said Mrs. Spiliotopoulos. "What a wonderful vehicle for showing theworld that Greece has a fabulous wine personality."

She said that some Greek producers, like Greek Wine Cellars D.Kourtakis SA, have ignored Parker. "Greeks were winemakers in ancienttimes, and can boast more than 360 native grape varietals. But wines likethe Kouros Patras, a white made from the native Roditis would be re-jected outright by the Parkers of the world." Fortunately she added, intastings across the U.S., this wine has been lauded as food friendly, crispand refreshing by the wine drinking public and publications like Wine &Spirits. Mrs. Spiliotopoulos also mentioned Domaine Costa Lazaridi andhis Amethystos line of wines as award-winning examples of the resistanceto Parkerization.

Some Greek wine makers have fallen into the Parker trap Mrs. Spil-iotopoulos added. "They have abandoned their Greek roots, and pro-duced so-called traditional varietal wines such as Cabernets, and in somecases blends with Greek varietals. Many are high in alcohol, very fruityand heavily oaked, and carry very high price tags." She added that thebiggest threat of this phenomenon is to Greece’s wine personality.

"Greece has the ability to produce fabulous food-friendly wines thatcan impress the world with their native characteristics and proudly showwhy Greece was once the wine maker to the world," concluded Mrs. Spil-iotopoulos. "What is needed now is common sense, a big dose of confi-dence and creative marketing."

Boutari Helps America Appreciate Good Wine

10 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005

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and modern– English and German.As for the food, it is delicious and isaccording to Mrs. Adami the resultof research on ancient texts, whichprovided apart from recipes, clueson the eating habits and customs ofGreece.

Athinaios, a 2nd Century oratorand sophist; Archestratos, a famousancient gourmet and food historian;and Hippocrates, the "Father ofMedicine" whose famousmanuscripts on diet and exercisehave survived to this day are amongthe many minds that have given ahelping hand through the centuriesto the owners of "Arheon Gevseis."

"Our recipes are from the 5th tothe 2nd Century BC," said Mrs.Adami. "The ancient Greek dietwas very close to the modernCretan diet, which is famous allover the world for being extremelyhealthy. It was based on olive oil,vegetables, fruit, goat meat–without the fat– fish and legumes,all of which were accompanied byvarious healthy beverages. MostGreeks ate pork but also favoredrabbit, home-raised chicken andpoultry," she said.

Modern Greek delights likeyogurt with honey and nuts were al-so high on the ancients’ list. Sweetpies, eggs and cheese were also pop-ular, as well as bread, which wasavailable in as many as 72 differentvarieties.

All of the above was alwaysserved with wine, which was invari-ably mixed with water. "The Greeksloved local wines as well as winesthat they imported from Italy," saidMrs. Adamis.

The menu includes a large vari-ety of salads, served in honor of thefamous mathematician and vegetar-ian Pythagoras, delicious soups andmeat dishes like the "Olympian"pork stuffed with plums and servedwith artichokes and mashed peas.Another one of the restaurant’smost popular dishes is the goat withlegume puree.

The owners of "Arheon Gevseis"have put great emphasis in creatinga pleasant dining experience fortheir guests. Dishes are served atthe right time. "One has to chew

well one’s food. The Greeks tooktheir time at the table," said Mrs.Adami. And to assist you witheating without a fork, the food is cutin such a way as to make it easier toput one’s modern manners aside."Touching the food is importanttoo," the owner added.

Up until now, several foreigntourists have savored the restauran-t’s ancient tastes. "We had a lot ofChinese and Japanese tourists com-ing during the Olympic Games. Ajudo athlete stayed here for eight

hours to try all of our dishes!" Mrs.Adamis said.

As for special features, "ArheonGevseis" offers visitors the op-portunity to party ancient Greek-style. The restaurant hosts privatesymposia-evenings, during whichvisitors can enjoy the ancient menu,while sitting on anaklindra, -a kindof ancient recliner- dressed inchitons and wearing sandals, com-pliments of the house. A girl fromEthiopia rubs the guests’ feet, as fe-male dancers dance for you.

But these parties are no Romanfeasts. Guests are servedmanuscripts with verses of ancientpoetry, along with their food andwine. After all, it was during some

ancient Greek symposia that someof the most meaningful philosophi-cal discussions were held.

When it comes to its own versionof ancient symposia however,"Arheon Gevseis" casts some an-cient habits aside. In Plato’s sympo-sium, female servants were asked toexit the dining room when the con-versation turned to the nature oflove; but in the symposia that areheld at "Arheon Gevseis" womenare permitted.

"Most people arrive a little bituptight about the whole affair,dressed up in modern clothes. Butthe chitons help everyone loosenup," Mrs. Adami said. Loosening upfor such a symposium costs 100 eu-ros per person, while eating at therestaurant comes at a reasonable 30euros per person. "People havelearned about us by word ofmouth," said Mrs. Adami. "Someseem hesitant when they arrive andthey even come after they’ve haddinner at home."

But "Arheon Gevseis" is steadilyconvincing the suspicious, and cre-ating high expectations for thosewho have not visited it. The restau-rant’s owners have not shied awayfrom some modern concepts whenit comes to marketing their originaland unique idea: "Arheon Gevseis"has opened in Piraeus, Myconosand Germany, while the Adamisesare soon going to conquer the newworld, by opening another restau-rant in Toronto, Canada.

"Unfortunately our efforts tocome to New York a few years agocoincided with the tragic events ofSeptember 11. But we are still verymuch interested in bringing ourtaste of ancient Greece to theUnited States," Mrs. Adami con-cluded.

"Arheon Gevseis" in Athens, islocated at 22 Kordatou Street,Karaeskaki Square. It is open ev-ery day from 12 noon until ev-eryone has had their last drop ofhoney-wine and rose water. For in-formation or details on locationsin other parts of Greece, contacttel: 01130-210-523-9661; fax:01130-210-520-0372; e-mail:adamisj@jadamis.gr or visit theweb at http://www.arxaion.gr.

Arheon Gevseis: A Restaurant that Takes you Back in Time

Continued from page 1

12 Greek Food&Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 19, 2005