location: Thessaly
Almonds from Larissa
Almonds from Larisa are particularly tasty and quite big. They come from almond trees cultivated in the traditional way in the provinces of Larisa, Tyrnavos and Aghia. The tree comes from Asia. It’s got white flesh and brown bark. Almonds are eaten raw or roasted and they are used in pastry making.
Konservolia from Pelion PDO
The commercial name of “Konservolia Peliou Volou”. This variety has got 13 types according to size (from 91 to 380 fruit per kilo). The growing of olives in Pelio dates back to the period of the Ottoman Occupation. The mountain of the Centaurs is full of olive trees and the olive groves of Pelio are famous as they make a beautiful sight along the mountain range from the ridge all the way down to the sea. The olive grove of Pelio is of great production, aesthetic and ecological interest. The olive trees are grafted on the spot on wild olive trees that are more than three hundred years old. So, after the grafting of the wild olive trees in the most densely cultivated part of Pelio and in some of the most remote olive gardens the first sheds of the people who cultivated the olive trees were built. The “kades” for the olives (large wooden containers where the olives were prepared and stored) can still be found today. It is where the olives were preserved by the producers themselves.
The “Konservolia Pteleou” has 13 types depending on the size and is produced in the Southeastern regions of the region of Almyros where there are century old olive groves. “Konservolia Pteleou” and “Konservolia Peliou” are classified as table olives.
Firiki Piliou PDO
Firiki Piliou PDO is a variety of apple, which has been cultivated for centuries in the region of Pelion, Thessaly, and comes from trees grown within a defined geographical production area.
Firiki Piliou is a small sized apple, has yellowish-green color, with some reddish patches on the sides which are mostly exposed to the sun. Firiki Piliou, high in pectin sugar which is vital ingredient for the heart’s proper function, has a strong aroma. It is mainly served as a dessert.
In 2011, Firiki Piliou was certified as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) product.
Anthotyro
Anthotyro of Thessaly is a traditional soft cheese made from a mixture of whey and fresh sheep’s or goat’s milk. It has a white or off-white colour, solid structure, a small portion of salt and no skin. It is used as table cheese, but also consumed grated.
Park Hotel Volos
Park Hotel is situated in the centre of Volos at the seafront park. With cozy and friendly atmosphere of it’s surroundings, the high quality of it’s service, it is an ideal destination for visitors and businessmen.
The Lobby is a luxurious functional and comfortable space, which functions 24 hours a day. The personnel is always willing and at the disposal of the customer, in order to serve.
Hotel’s functions includes generator benefit of electric current, system of fire safety, security boxes free of charge etc.
Kagiana omelet of Volos
3 whole eggs
Long green pepper
Red Florina pepper
1 tomato
50gr feta cheese
Salt and pepper
On a cutting board finely slice peppers and tomatoes. Beat the eggs in an inox bowl and add salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil. When the oil starts to simmer sauté the peppers, add the tomato and pour in the eggs. Stir until the mixture is cooked and firm. Add the grated “feta” cheese.
Walnut pie of Pelion
12 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup sugar
1 cup grated walnuts
The zest of one orange or 1 teaspoon bergamot zest
1 vanilla stick
20gr baking powder
For the syrup:
2 cups water
2 ½ cups sugar
The skin of one orange
The skin of one lemon
1 vanilla stick
Beat the eggs with the sugar until fluffy and white. Then add the vanilla seeds and the orange or bergamot zest. Beat for another minute, stop and then add the walnuts, stirring softly. Gradually add the breadcrumbs, baking powder and continue stirring. For the syrup: Boil the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla stick for 4 minutes. Add the skin of the orange and lemon and let boil for two more minutes.
Butter a baking pan and pour in the mixture. Bake at 175 C for 45-50 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Pour the hot syrup over the cold walnut pie and serve.
Winter trahana
1 cup sour trahana
4 cups water
Feta cheese or goat’s cheese, as much as desired
1 teaspoon salt, pepper
3 tablespoons butter
In a medium sized pan, mix water and salt. Cook on medium heat, add the “trahana” (traditional pasta) while stirring. Heat for 5 minutes, add grated feta cheese. When the mixture starts to thicken, add the butter.
Heat for another 10 minutes and serve with ground pepper.
Stafidopsomo (Bread with raisins)
? cup oilseed
½ cup cognac
1 ? cup orange juice and its zest
500gr self raising flour
1 cup of raisins (washed and slightly floured)
1 cup grated walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon and clove mixed together
In a small bowl beat the olive oil with the sugar until it melts. Dissolve the baking soda in the orange juice and add to the oil/sugar mix. Add remaining ingredients in the following order: zest, cognac, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, clove and finally the flour. Stir well to a smooth consistency and pour the mixture into a cake mould.
Bake for about 45 minutes at 180 C.
Tangerine marmalade
1kg tangerines
1 large lemon
5 cups water
3 ½ cups sugar
Wash the tangerines and lemon well. Cut in four and then in slices. Remove the seeds and put the fruit in a large bowl. Add water and cover with a plastic membrane. Let the mixture rest for at least a day. The next day empty the mixture into a pot and simmer for about an hour and twenty minutes. Add the sugar and stir until it melts and continue to boil until reaching 104 C (about 1hour and 20 minutes).
Remove from heat and while the mixture is still hot pour into sterilised jars. Close the jars and let cool or refrigerate.
Sausage of Trikala with leek and spetzofai sauce
1kg long green peppers
2 pieces of red peppers
½ kg Trikala sausage with leek
3-4 tomatoes ripe for sauce
1 medium onion
½ tablespoon salt
? glass olive oil
Wash the peppers and cut in small pieces. Cut the sausage in slices. Fry the peppers on medium heat until they “wilt”. Let drain in a colander. Fry the sausage until it browns and the fat melts. Peel the tomatoes and the onion and grate. Mix with the red peppers.
Boil the mixture on medium heat for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Rice Pudding of Trikala
4 cups milk
½ cup risotto rice
A pinch salt
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla extract
2 teaspoonfuls corn flour
Cinnamon
Boil the rice in the pot with a cup of water and a pinch of salt and at the same time warm the milk with the sugar so that it melts. Keep ½ cup of milk (from the 4 cups) to dissolve the two spoonfuls of corn flour and the vanilla extract. Once the rice boils and absorbs the water, pour in the milk with the melted sugar.
Lower the heat and let boil for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the milk with dissolved corn flour and vanilla extract. Continuously stir until it thickens. Serve hot in bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon sugar
A pinch of salt
½ glass milk
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, making a dent in the center. Pour in the milk and slowly stir in water with a fork for a mush-like batter.
Deep fry in very hot oil. Drop the mixture into the frying pan with a tablespoon. Fry on both sides. Remove from pan and place on kitchen paper. Serve in a dish, drizzle with apple molasses and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Pepper pie of Pelion
Store-bought phyllo dough
800gr peppers
2 red peppers
2 orange peppers
1 small onion
½ a cup trahana (cracked wheat)
1 cup finely chopped tomato
3 eggs (one needed to brush the phyllo dough)
300gr feta cheese
Oil
Salt
Pepper
Wash and chop the onions and peppers. Place a frying pan with oil on medium heat and saut? the onions and peppers. In a small bowl, beat the two eggs and add the tomato, trahanas, crushed feta and a little salt and pepper. Stir well. Add this mixture to the pan and continue frying. Butter a baking pan, lay half the phyllo dough and then pour out the saut?ed mixture, Finally cover with the remaining phyllo dough layer. Brush the top layer with the remaining egg.
Bake at 180 C for approximately 1 hour.
Orange cookies
2 cups oilseed
1 cup orange juice and its zest
1 ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1kg all purpose flour
In a small bowl beat the olive oil with the sugar until it melts. Dissolve the baking soda in the orange juice and add to the oil/sugar mix. Add the zest and gradually the flour, which has been mixed with the baking powder.
Bake at 180 C for about 15 minutes.