Sweet memories!

I remember my grandmother Mariogka pass for hours over the kitchen singing the same old song. She was a seamstress  and also an excellent cook. She was born in Andros island and leaving there for the biggest part of her life, a captain of the family and the household, waiting for her husband to come back from his trips, as he was a sailor.  She loved us, me and my sister, she cooked for us and she enjoyed the moment where we eat the lovely dishes she prepared for us, sitting always at the table beside the window.  I also remember that she had always in reverence, well hidden in the kitchen cupboard, a sealed glass jar and-since we had had enough with the food-we say "Come, have a small bite." At this time I did not knew what it was, but it made me ask always for a repeat. It was purple, like a thick gel and unique taste. When I grow up, I learned what it was: The unique handmade  quince paste of my grandmother. And then it was the aroma and reach flavor of the – also - handmade liqueur cherry.

I also remember my other grandmother Magdalo, in the small village near  Pylos to arrange the dough, kneading bread to bake and wrap it with towels as if they were babies.  When it was the time for the traditional “lalangides” (flour fried in virgin olive oil) there was a big party in the courtyard with shouting and squabbling over who will eat most sugar or grated cheese. And if there was also goat milk ... it was extremely  noisy.

Those are the images we, my sister and I, had from my holidays  in the island or in the village of our grandmothers.

Now, it was our turn, two generations later, to continue this tradition and by adding our passion and fantasy to the lessons and the secrets we learned from our two “teachers”, to create our special treats. 

Gianna Balafouti

Traditional producer