November 2009

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‘horta’ drawn from plant families such as rocket, borage, chicory, chard, beet, dock, dandelion and, one of the most common, amaranth. Known locally as ‘vlita’, amaranth is one of the world’s most nutritious greens and is often available in restaurants where it is served as an accompaniment to meat dishes. It is very dark green in colour and, whilst being fairly sweet, it has a sour undertone which makes it quite exciting. It also makes the most wonderful pies when mixed   

to make a wholesome porridge, fermented to make a beer or prepared like quinoa. The seeds are now available in Corfu and maybe some enterprising restaurant will add them to their repertoire in the near future. In the meantime, make sure you try the greens on your next visit.

At the end of the day, on Corfiot mountain-sides and along the roadside verges, you will often see local ladies stooping in the grass and collecting wild greens. In Greece, these ‘free’ vegetables form a major part of the national diet and are often served as the main course to be accompanied by fried fish or kalamari. They are simply boiled and usually served with home produced olive oil and lemon juice to provide one of the healthiest dishes available. The    

One of the pleasures of travelling abroad is the opportunity to absorb new tastes & smells and sample the wonderful array of wines, spirits & liqueurs that have evolved from local produce & traditions. Corfu is no exception and perhaps the most famous such Corfiot product is Koumquat liqueur produced just outside of Roda. Most holidaymakers have been given a sample of this at the end of a meal and many take a bottle or two back with them to remind them of their vacation during the long winter months
Many people have also tried the famous sherry-like, fortified sweet wine from Patras called Mavrodafni and it is in the same region of Greece, the northern      

And in other countries, Amaranth is called - Caribbean - Callaloo
China -  Yin choi
Swahili - Mchicha
Philippines - Kulitis

country’s third largest urban centre and the capital of the prefecture of Achaea. With Greece’s trading history, it is no wonder that the eastern spices used to flavour Tentura found arrived in this part of Greece on their way to the rest of the world.   

with cheese, wrapped in filo pastry and baked in the oven. Amaranth is found all over the world from Peru to Nepal and is a very good source of vitamins A, B6, C, riboflavin, folate, calcium, iron and magnesium. One cup of cooked amaranth leaves contain just 28 calories.
Amaranth is also very popular in South America where the grain is cooked    

fact that the greens are wild is never an issue and their presence on the Greek table is entirely expected.
There a great many varieties of  

A bowl of freshly picked leaves

Peloponnese, that another less well-known liqueur has its origins. Patras is Greece’s gateway to the west, the   

Tentura (said Tendoora) has been the traditional liqueur of Patras since the 15th Century. It combines the aromas of cloves, cinnamon & nutmeg with extracts of Mavrodafni & citrus fruits.

It is the perfect digestif after a meal, it is drunk as a cocktail or enjoyed straight & unadulterated. Alternatively, add a small amount to an espresso coffee for a real winter warmer and if you have never tried it before, put it on your shopping list for 2010.

If you bought a bottle home from your holiday, then why not pay a visit to the Pilavas web site to find some super mouth-watering recipes.