On Paros I met her in the 70's, when many of the protagonists in yesterday Greek Breakfast of Paros they were still unborn. At that time in the field of gastronomy history wrote the cafe of Stratis in Naoussa, Piroulis with the meatballs in Lefkes, Tsitsanis in Prodromos, the barley rolls of Agkaria, the cauldrons of the island in October and of course the Moraitis winery in Naoussa with the first bottles of wine.

Nice appetizers, but above all nice people, beautiful companies and indescribable parties. Grilled furs and octopuses Antipariotika on the grill accompanied by the local suma, red Lefkiano wine with garlic and caravolos, kakavies and fish soups, revithadades and mirmitzelia (local pasta) were a sample of Parian cuisine.

 

About half a century has passed since then. Paros has evolved a lot, it has become urbanized, there has been great progress but also disasters (mainly of the environment) as in most parts of Greece where Tourism has developed excessively, without a program and control. The gastronomy of Paros evolved, with a leading presence Argyro Barbarigou that made the island known gastronomically. Many new restaurants with talented chefs, but also traditional taverns with classic local delicacies emerged with the result that the food of Paros is of good quality on all levels. Indicatively, we mention its taverns Mario in Naoussa, of Christian in Ambelas, of Clarinus in Lefkes, of Marianas Chalari in Piso Livadi, the Artistic cafe in Prodromos etc.

If at the level of companies one can discern the progress, where Paros suffers blatantly are the collectives and the existence of a gastronomic identity. The Greek Breakfast of Paros which was presented in collaboration with the Hotel Chamber of Greece (XEE) and the Paros-Antiparos Hoteliers Association at the Swiss Home Hotel was an occasion to discuss all this and to develop interesting considerations.

The event was honored by the local government of the island, the prefect Costas Bizas and by the Municipality, Christos Christoforos, Deputy Mayor of Paros and Chairman of the Tourism Committee. Members of the Board of the Hoteliers Association, its president George Bafitis and KALYPSO (KALYPSO) POSEIDON), Eleni Bakirtzi (PYRGAKI), George Xefteris (AQUA MARINA), Loukianos Polykandriotis (SWISS HOME), Christina Fokianou (CAPTAIN ROCKS) representatives of hotels such as Anna Platanou, Aegean Village of Stella Fyrogeni, Evanthia Ventouri and Vasiliki Hasouri but also of tourism professionals such as Dimitris Petropoulos of ERKYNA TRAVEL. Particularly important was the participation of the agri-food sector of Paros, which in the last decade makes its presence felt giving an optimistic note to the development of the island.

The bakeries and confectioneries of Paros had a significant presence, with the products they offered for the needs of creating the model Greek Breakfast of Paros (Pan. Chamilothoris and Tsounakis from Naoussa, Army from Lefkes -son of the old baker Strati-, Xylofournos of Nikos Zoumis from Ysterni).

I was especially happy because two young men I had identified 15 years ago and who then took their first steps, are now leaders in their field and in fact with a significant disposition for teamwork. One is Nikos Zoumis with an oven then in Marmara and the other is Loukis Arsenis.

Ο Nikos Zoumis with his wife Stavriana, he was present presenting an exhibition of pastries and sweets. The cowardly Marble lad now has a workshop in Ysterny with 20 employees and produces a wide range of non-bakery products, such as pies, pastries, cakes and ice cream, as well as innovative zea products, etc.

Present was the Loukis Arsenis, the other young man, who in the first decade of 2000, at a time when all his peers in Paria were engaged in the tourism profession, he decided to dedicate himself to the primary sector. Thus, since 2004, when he planted in his family estate of 20 acres an exemplary vineyard with the varieties Assyrtiko, Monemvasia, Savvatiano and Mandilaria, today he manages 325 acres of land whose fruits - most of which are products of organic crops - are distributed mainly in while at the same time its crops beautify the landscape of the island, which has been so burdened by the superstructure.

The event was attended by its president Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Paros Nikos Tsigonia and spoke about the dairy products of the Union, about the gruyere of Paros and secondarily the kefalotyri, the strainer (xynomyzithra), the mizithra, the heads in oil and wine and finally the butter. I had already visited the Cooperative and the pleasant thing is that in its Dairy, young people from Paria work all year round with cheese maker I. Cortianos, just 32 years old, a graduate of the Dairy School of Ioannina.

Parian Pasta and Traditional Handmade Products from Kamares participated with a representative but also with delicious pastries, delicacies and pies.

From Lefkes we had the Banagianni Honey of Giannis and Electra Hanioti, who attended with their products - mainly thyme honey.

Impressive was the presence of Home Sweet Home of Giannis Kleftogiannis from Sotiras near Petaloudes with a large range of jams, pastries, pate etc in beautiful packages.

Finally, the well-known architect Makis Kostikas, after the series with his natural wines, proceeded to the oils, where with persistence and passion he presented his oils from the organically cultivated olives, in proposals, plain or with a mixture of orange and lemon.

The event took place at the Swiss Home Hotel Anna Polykandrioti, who worked for its realization devoting an important time, and is a pioneer in events and actions related to social sensitivity and culture. We thank her very much, after all, everyone knows her on the island.

As an epilogue I record the following findings:

The Greek Breakfast of XEE, where 8 years ago was non-existent as a concept, now gains with its philosophy and practice, its place in the Greek hotels of each region.

Η Paros, albeit delayed in relation to surrounding islands such as TinosThe SyrosThe NaxosThe SantoriniThe MykonosThe Sifnos, begins to realize the value of gastronomy and the connection of the agri-food sector with Tourism.

The more than 60 attendees (hoteliers, producers, craftsmen, representatives of productive classes, many of whom were unknown to each other) understood the need for cooperation in order to develop the gastronomy of Paros and the enrichment of the tourist product of the island.

And of course the value of the Greek Breakfast which, among other things, brings products and people together, perceptions and mentalities, material and intangible values!