Before sitting on the table to have his lunch, my grandfather used to pour a shot of ‘tsikoudia’ (local Cretan spirit) from a small bottle he was keeping just for himself. Rough in taste and full of fragrances, made of his own grapes, it would give you the shivers even before it wet your lips. Then, he would chop a tomato in four, which he had picked up from his garden and a raw artichoke heart drenched with lemon. And thus, he would spend his time hitting his ‘kompoloi’ (worry beads) in a crafted manner, having his tidbits, until he could sense the scents from the kitchen and feel that lunchtime was close. Then he would have his ‘tsikoudia’ shot at once and make his way to the cellar. He would cut by hand a big chunk of the eftazymo loaf (bread made of chickpeas instead of flour) and place it in a basket with rosemary at the bottom along with some barley ‘ntakos’ (kind of rusk) that he loved so much. Then he would uncover the dried ‘anthotyro’ (farmer cheese), cut a piece and get the bottle with ‘marouvas’ (old, red wine). Aged wine, made of Romeiko variety grapes that needs wits and grace to drink it, as he used to say. Before he came back the table was set.

Pure Cretan olive oil, aged wine, cheese, ntakos, wild greens, pure meat, herbs. That was his wealth. That was his legacy. He didn`t need any dietician to tell him about the beneficial attributes of the pure Cretan olive oil and that a glass of wine at lunchtime could offer him strength and longevity. Those he had learned from his father and his father from his grandfather. That was his way of living, until he reached a hundred years old
 
The Traditional product store Creta Earth is located in the center of Plakias of Crete and offers the best and most quality Greek and Cretan products.
You can find pure Cretan virgin olive oil Cretan wines, ouzo, raki, honey, Cretan herbs and spices, sweets, soaps, cosmetic products, souvenir, items from Cretan folk art, ceramic art cretan  cheeses ,olives  and much more.

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