Traditional Cuisine of Monemvasia

Η Monemvasia (the Municipality of Monemvasia) is an area with hundreds of kilometers of coastline, from Kyparissi, the Myrtos Sea to Cape Malia, and from there inland to the Laconic Gulf to Molai, the first with pebbles under the wild masses of the South Parnona and the second sandy beaches facing the bay. The north side is characterized by the many pastures, and the west by the plains of Molai and Naples (Vatika) where olive groves are cultivated mainly, and less citrus fruits and vegetables and vines.

The first product of the region is olive and specifically of the Athinolia variety mainly, and of Koroneiki.

Every year about 8.000 tons of olive oil are produced with 99% being extremely virgin which is famous for its balanced taste and high nutritional value, while there are large areas of certified organic olive growing and dozens of companies that standardize and package oil and olives.

Monemvasia is a white grape variety whose participation in the PDO wine with the indication "Monemvasia-Malvasia", As the main variety, revives one of the most famous historical Greek wines, Malvasia wine. If we calculate the ability of Monemvasia to wonderfully express the terroir from which it comes, we are in front of a grape capable of offering many emotions. Other varieties that are cultivated in the area are Kidonitsa, Petrouliano, Thrapsa.

The homonymous ones are cultivated in Vatika batik onions with its characteristic color and special taste.

In Monemvasia we will also find handicrafts that produce convergent and local cold cuts as well as dairies that utilize the milk from the large number of sheep and goats raised in the pastures of the area.

Fishermen along the coast and especially in the Gulf of Naples catch fish, sea bream, grouper, the famous Monemvasia rock lobsters, lobsters, crayfish and shrimp.

From the foods that are common in the area, we distinguish, from the pastries, the goggles -hand pasta- served with tomato sauce and grated cheese, the teahouses (fried pies with cheese and herbs or with herbs), and from the pies him brustle (leaf, trachanas, thrombi, convergent and honey).

From meat the most common dishes are the Bardounian rooster (with thick spaghetti and sauce with tomato, onions, wine and cheese) which is from the area of ​​Mani but is also common here, the pork wine with orange, the mutton stew, the tsigeri (lamb offal, spleen, liver, a little pulp and quenching with wine, thyme, oregano), the sausages with orange and finally lemonade rabbit which at the end makes a boil and with garlic.

Monemvasia is famous for its sweets - produced by confectionery workshops in the city - starring macaroons, samousades (syrupy dessert with almond, walnut, sesame, but also cinnamon and nutmeg), rafioli and xerotigana.