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Kerasma: 2007 Retail Tour of Crete & Santorini
Beautiful breezes, fine wine, lavish displays of food . . . it's hard to tell people I am working when I am staring out at the azure waters along the coast of Greece taking bites of perfectly roasted eggplant and nibbles of delicate green pie. It's hard to complain.

My first trip to Greece was in 2006 when I headed to Athens for the first Kerasma conference. I was amazed by the markets, the joie de vivre of the people, and the lifestyle. I was thrilled last year when the organizers asked The Gourmet Retailer Magazine to help identify a small group of specialty retailers in the U.S. to attend the 2nd International Kerasma Conference on Greek Gastronomy and Food, Wine and Spirits Industry sponsored by the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board this past June. I called on buyers with a sense of overwhelming anticipation to share what I had experienced previously and learn more.

And, of course, we jumped at the chance, pulling together members of our Retailer Advisory Board as well as suggesting importers to attend this four-day conference in Crete and Santorini. The result was an amazing gathering of the top specialty food retailers in the U.S. in an amazing place, sharing and learning about the Mediterranean diet in its birthplace.

Tasting Joy
Some of us chose to arrive before the conference to take in the history and tastes of Greece. We started our journey in Athens, and I was thrilled to lead part of the expedition showcasing some of the products and places I discovered the previous year. At the top of my list was a meal with Christoforos Peskias of 48 The Restaurant in Athens, who amazed us with his translations of traditional Greek dishes into innovative presentations with familiar flavors.

Other buyers made additional side trips of their own to learn about products already in their inventory and to find new resources.

"If our customers could only see where the beautiful handcrafted products that we have are produced in Greece, they would be very surprised. We drove out to Evia, an island suburb of Athens, to visit the plant that produces our dolmas. It was an amazing sight to see. The plant was very small, yet with all of the modern quality assurance enhancements. The most amazing part was that, in the end, all products produced at that plant are made by hand," explained Lisa Smith, Central Market/H-E-B, Austin, Texas. "The following day, we drove out a little past the ancient city of Sparta to visit the organic olive groves that produce our new organic olive line. This is a farming cooperative that is owned by 23 families and managed by a board of five members. The olive groves are in a small village named Kefalas. The groves are 600 hectares (which is close to 1,500 acres) at an altitude of 400 meters (approximately 1300 feet). Cultivation began in 1995 after three years of converting the olive groves to organic groves. The farmers created the Kefalas Sparta S.A. which produces over 150 tons of fully organic olive oil and 200 tons of olives from 100,000 olive trees. This company is a USDA Certified Organic Company and has a resident agronomist who supervises every aspect of production. "

Smith explained that in order to become familiar with traditional Greek cuisine, it is important to understand how the environment plays an integral role in the development of the ingredients. The core message of HEPO's Kerasma conference was "Real Taste-Great Living," a theme that is illustrated by Greece's exceptional ingredients — whole grains, nuts, honey, figs, saffron and, of course, cheese and great olive oil.

Crete was chosen for this event because of its tradition of flavors and recipes. The Mediterranean diet is a way of life there. The goal is to preserve humanistic values while forging forward into new culinary adventures. The flavors of Greece are traditional yet new, complex yet simple, nutritious but very flavorful. These types of flavors, seated in tradition, will push forward a new cuisine that will empower us to create dishes that truly embrace the balance of the Mediterranean diet.

Greek Lessons
The conference itself was held on Crete and featured manufacturers of everything from cheese, olives and honey to saffron, Chios mastiha, and wines.
"As a specialty food retailer, I was particularly interested in the craft and the legends behind each of the foods and wines," said Larry Uhl, president of West Point Market, Akron, Ohio. "HEPO attempted to showcase just that, but the participating brands either tended to be more mass producers rather than artisans, or the artisans were still in the infancy of applying for USDA approval of their products for entry into our country. Likely, HEPO sees the mass market group as their fastest way to catch up to the highly effective long-term efforts of the Italians, Spanish, French and British governments' trade organizations at exporting the best foods of their countries to the United States."

Claudia Tolan of Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, N.C., looks for high quality, authenticity, tradition, great taste and natural and organic ingredients when sourcing products. She also wants products that are produced in a fair and environmentally friendly manner.

"I was really impressed the first day of the conference by the speech of a member of the Greek government on the environmental practices and legislation that ensure the long-term sustainability of all the products presented during the conference," she explained. "We all know as consumers and retailers how important it is today to know where your products come from, how they are produced, and what impact they have on the environment and on the economy. We also know that preserving traditional foods made with fresh and honest ingredients is what our customers ask for. Visiting Greece gave me the opportunity to discover again Greek food and be able to promote it to my customers with knowledge and enthusiasm."

The Buyer's Perspective
West Point Market's Uhl said as a specialty foods retailer, the networking opportunity to share thoughts and tips for successfully importing Greek foods directly as well as the chance to meet selected importers was initially his prime motivation to attend.

He described the conference: "No Gyros was to be found, and that was not by accident. Superb Greek hospitality facilitated group field excursions to cheese and olive oil producers, banquets, luncheons, and demonstrations featuring both traditional and trendy preparations of Greek foods by world-renowned chefs and authorities on the subject. Wine and olive oil experts included journalist David Rosengarten and sommelier Steve Olson. The chef presenters at the conference also demonstrated their talents at a Food Network-style demo luncheon and, later, at a dinner banquet at the Boutari Estate winery."

Three of the world's hottest Greek cuisine restaurateurs were in that group: George Calombaris of The Press Club in Melbourne, Australia; Pano Karatassos of Kyma Restaurant in Atlanta; and Christoforos Peskias of 48 The Restaurant in Athens.

Uhl, along with every other guest, said that the most memorable dinner was a banquet created especially for the group in the small hill village of Avdou on Crete.

"The outdoor dinner highlighted only traditional Greek island cuisine and ingredients, and was catered completely by the people of the town," he said.

Deborah Miller of A Southern Season in Chapel Hill, N.C., described the night which began with small groups of attendees descending into private homes to assist the lady of the house as she prepared traditional Cretan dishes. "They spoke no English and we spoke not enough Greek to say much more than 'yasu' (hello) and 'yamas' (to your health) and 'efharisto' (thank you)."

In the home Deborah and I visited, our host Martha prepared Briam, their version of ratatouille. It was amazing — potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant slow roasted over low heat for a few hours then topped liberally with crumbled feta. Crowded onto the family's patio, we shamelessly ate almost her entire batch before she gestured to us to stop.

Miller continued, "Leaving the small house, we wound our way back up through the village, laughing as we noticed all the men out on the streets drinking while their wives were back in their kitchens cooking. Turning a corner, we entered into a square in front of a small Greek Orthodox Church to a scene so magical, it could have been a movie set. Massive tables, stretching forever with white cloths were set for hundreds. Every kitchen in the entire town of Avdou had prepared our meal for the evening. Every plate, every chair had come from their churches and homes. Dinner was spit-roasted pig, salad, chickpea dip, green pies and the briam we had been making only an hour earlier. Desserts and fruits were piled high on tables just in front of the church entrance."

Daniel Rosacci, owner of Littleton, Colo.-based Tony's Market, added, "Through their fabulous earthy cuisine, we were introduced to the 2,500-year-old culture, which made us feel warm and welcome as a multi-generational member of their 'village.' Perhaps the charm and romance were all part of my mindset of that moment, for I realize that no culture lives stress-free and without worry; Cretans just seem to have a wiser approach and a better handle on the frivolous stresses we cling to so tightly in America. Villagers brought together their family, friends and neighbors with lovingly prepared food, a fresh shot of espresso, or a milky glass of cold Ouzo. My heart will always have a fondness for the warm embrace with which the Greek Isles greeted us. The flavors were more real than anything I have ever experienced. Tomatoes so sweet and juicy, they needed nothing to improve them — a drizzle of olive oil, some coarse sea salt, and fresh-picked herbs married the flavors so perfectly that an entire new flavor sensation was created. What else can I say — the Greeks have learned that less is more. They have learned how to welcome and share with all the wisdom of their centuries-old history, preparing simple foods with the expertise of perfect simple enhancements, without ever overdoing it."

Wines of Santorini
Uhl said he found one of the most informative days was actually a side trip to the island of Santorini. Granted, it is likely the most beautiful of all the Greek islands, but that side trip offered the closest look at the foods and wines of Greece. It showed us up-close the agricultural challenges of the island's rocky volcanic soil — a hilly and stark terrain where the tallest trees are olives. It also showed how the economy is changing from agrarian to tourism, and the consequences of it all. What had been a predominantly wine-producing island is now up for sale by the Greek government, hectare by hectare to developers, with no protection of the same industry and culture that HEPO spent three days promoting. The delicious sweet visanto wines and artisan Chloro cheese of Santorini may soon be a thing of the past.

Telling Stories
One of the goals of both the organizers of Kerasma and The Gourmet Retailer was that these buyers came back to the U.S. with a better understanding of Greek cuisine and culture, as well as their own personal stories to tell their staff and customers. Buyers told us that goal was more than met and we've seen the results in the classes, promotions and newsletters many have produced since returning home.

"I have many stories that I tell my customers while I am demonstrating the Greek products I introduced after my Kerasma experience. One of my favorites is when I do a tasting for the Cretan olive oil and I tell my customers that despite what the Italian say, most of the olive oil produced in Italy comes from Greece (the majority of common brands), so why not buy the real thing?" Tolan began. "When customers ask me, 'How do you know that this is really what they eat in Greece?' I tell them about the incredible experience we had when we went to dinner in a village in Crete and the whole village cooked for us, served us the food, played music and danced with us in one of the most beautiful settings they could ever imagine. During a recent event, we were tasting wines from Santorini and Crete, I had pictures from our trip to the vineyards at the table and was able to recreate some of the magic that I experienced. Customers wanted to know what the place looked like, what kind of soil, what kind of grapes, who are the people that produce such fantastic wines. Having a firsthand experience gave me the opportunity to share the knowledge and the passion with my customers."


Martha's Cretan Briam
Serves 8
From Steve Petusevsky, formerly with Market Salamander, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Martha was kind enough to squeeze 10 people into her tiny kitchen to show us how to make this dish. Briam is better served at room temperature, and if there is any left the next day, it gets even better.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, chopped in 1-inch cubes
2 green peppers, diced in 1-inch cubes
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large Spanish onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped fresh oregano
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a large baking pan. Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, for one hour and 15 minutes until vegetables are very tender and a sauce is formed in the pan.

Photo Gallery
Photos by Melinda Loeb


Terri Straub, Ed Loeb, Michelle Moran, Trip Straub of Straub's Market and Ed Flohre from Dorothy Lane Markets dig their toes into the black sands of Santorini before visiting the vineyards.


Sunset off the Isle of Santorini.


The Retailer Advisory Board crew gets ready for an incredible conference on Crete along with The Gourmet Retailer team.


Preparing the evening's meal in the villagers' homes.


Kathy and Kraig Brady of California-based Nugget Market pause from the celebration with Premier Gourmet owner Janet Ostrow.


Making fresh pasta in Crete.


A world of spices and honeys.


A coffee break in Santorini.


Relaxing in Santorini.