Farm-to-Table Tour in the Greek Mountains
A farm-to-table tour in the Greek mountains surrounded me with fresh air and gave me a new kinds of hands-on insight into Central Greece’s amazing gastronomy.
Farm-to-Table Tour in the Greek Mountains
I got to milk a sheep. No harm done to anyone or thing in the process. I was pretty proud of myself. After all, farm animals weren’t a daily thing growing up in Brooklyn and suburban New York.
So, how did I find myself milking a fluffy sheep named Dimitra?
I was on a fun foodie mission, actually it was a farm-to-table tour in the Greek mountains organized by the Montanema Handmade Village.
Part One: The Farm Part of the Tour
After a bit of driving we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. Well, nowhere was in the form of a lush green field filled with yellow wildflowers right smack in the middle of Greece. Not bad for nowhere.
Exploring the Greek Farm
Then, we were surrounded by the sheep that were baaa-ing this way and that. A few cute little farm dogs wandered about sniffing us. The smell of animal manure, well, took a minute to get used to. We all peeped into a little wooden hay-filled barn. There, the morning sunlight casted a warm glow on the sheep and lambs that scurried about inside. Chickens and hens flew about. I realized quickly that I needed to step carefully. It was definitely a farm. I must sound like I’m from New York.
I have visited several farms in my life. I even stayed on (well, near) a chicken farm on Kefalonia island. (That’s another story). Animals are fascinating, and I was quickly making friends at the Frago village farm.
Part Two: The Local Flour Mill and Pasta Makers
With our fresh dairy products from the Frago village farm in hand we headed to the next stop: the fifth-generation Pyrotzello Flour Mill.
Pyrotzello makes good use of this flour grinding machine that was first produced in 1872. Mr. Pyrotzello told us there are only 400 like it in the world. His machine is one of the only ones left and still in use, even as the flour making industry turned to other machine types.
Karagouna Greek Pasta Factory
Adding flour to our ingredients stock, we all paid a visit to the Karagouna pasta factory. There, we were given a hands-on demonstration of how to make traditional Greek egg pasta called hilopetes.
Part Three: The Table Part of the Tour
The end result? This.
It was delicious. Greek keftedes (meatballs) seasoned with Greek herbs and spices and lightly covered in a tomato sauce. On the side were the soft, rich and tasty hilopetes.
After a day at the farm and the food factories, sitting to dine on the local dish definitely brought the farm-to-table-tour in the Greek mountains to a satisfying conclusion.
Gastronomy of Central Greece
The region has its mountains, hiking trails and a beautiful long lake to explore – the food is something not to be missed. Like other regions in Greece, the mountainous areas are proud of their specialties and our interactive foodie excursion showed us what they value: in-season ingredients, organic food products and traditional recipes.
That sums up my farm-to-table tour in the Greek mountains experience.
Where to Stay in Lake Plastiras
Montanema Handmade Village is about a 10-minute drive up, a beautiful and traditional mountain luxury resort of cottage houses set in the depths of the Pindos Mountains. Read my full review: Montanema Handmade Village: Luxury Mountain Getaway.
What to Do in Lake Plastiras
This mountainous area of Greece shows of a side that isn’t about palm trees and beaches. Check out my post: Agrafa Mountains: Hiking Among Waterfalls.
If you love horse riding or want to try it for the first time (like I did) check out my experience with Saloon Stables. Visit my post: Horse Riding in Greece: Lake Plastiras.
Have you ever tried hilopetes or traditional dishes from central Greece? Have you been on a farm-to-table tour? Would love to hear about it!
