Many of Lesbos’ packaged artisanal products have emerged out of the women’s cooperative movement; now a national initiative to provide greater independence and earning power to women, the cooperatives got their start here on the island, in Petra, in 1983. Today, Lesbos’ numerous co-ops produce a range of traditional items, from spoon sweets (preserves of seasonal fruits and nuts put up in simple syrup) to local pasta and confections.
Other island specialties have sprung from the imaginations and industriousness of impassioned individuals, the Papayiannides family and Christina Pandeleimonti among them. From the small but thriving Papayiannides' Cottage Industry, watch for sauces and jams based on old family recipes. My favorites are the more contemporary pairings, such as a delicious tomato sauce flavored with orange and white wine.
Pandeleimonti started her Mylelia brand of pasta on a lark after she and her husband renovated a 17th-century mill and began grinding their own flour. From initially making pasta for friends, Pandeleimonti parlayed her craft into a serious business and dozens of different products, all beautifully packaged. Some have made their way to the shelves of Harrods. Pandeleimonti’s most recent venture was the renovation of an old olive press, another worthwhile excursion.
Lesbos truly is a microcosm of Greece, yet of Greece at its best. The current economic situation is spurring many people to move back to their native villages—to farm, take part in agritourism, and more. Rich in history and natural beauty, Lesbos could be a case study in how to make delicious, traditional bounty relevant today.
Fresh Sardines Baked with Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley
Recipe by Diane Kochilas, reprinted with permission from Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share From the Mediterranean Table (William Morrow)
In the Aegean, sardines still abound. Greeks eat tons of them in dozens of different ways, from grilled to salted to baked, like these below, with the classic duo of garlic and lemon.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced into thin rings
2 pounds fresh sardines, gutted and heads removed*
4 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 large lemon, cut into thin rounds
1/2 cup packed, finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on the bottom of an ovenproof baking dish large enough to hold the sardines in one layer.
2. Spread the onion slices on the bottom of the dish in one layer, reserving the remaining rings. Place the sardines in the dish snugly next to each other. Place the garlic slivers between the fish, in various places all over the pan. Season with salt. Pour the lemon juice over the fish. Place the lemon rounds over the fish, covering the surface as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the remaining onions on top. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the contents of the dish and bake, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the fish is fork tender and the onions are cooked but still a little crunchy. Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley.
*Cut away and discard the heads and viscera from the sardines. Wash very well and drain in a colander.
Diane Kochilas conducts cooking classes and tours in Greece and is the author of 18 cookbooks, including Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share From the Mediterranean Table and the forthcoming Country Cooking of Greece (Chronicle). Her new book, due for release in October, includes several foods of Lesbos. Kochilas is also the consulting chef at Boukiés, a New York City meze restaurant slated to open in March.
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