A Memorable Meal in Arachova, Greece-A Short Story

The Gen X Travels

2 years ago

Our first day of our vacation to Greece in September 2022, we rented a car at the Athens airport and drove through the mainland to Arachova, where that evening, we enjoyed a wonderful meal. It was a nice drive and we were excited to be back in Greece.

Once in Arachova, everything was what we had heard it to be and even more. Arachova reminds me of a fairy tale village from years gone by. The narrow stone streets and pathways up the hill added to the quaintness of this quiet little town. Since we were a bit off season, all we heard walking down the streets were people occasionally chit chatting, the sound of a car or roar of a motorcycle go by, and the day to day sounds of stores doing business for the day.

We checked into our hotel and it was perfect. The views of the valley and mountains reaching out to the Corinthian Sea were spectacular. The peacefulness of the countryside with the sounds of birds chirping and an occasional dog barking enhanced the view. It is one of those places where you can just smell the freshness of nature.

The host made dinner reservations for us at a local establishment he assured us we would love and which we could walk to. Arachova was not very busy this time of year as it thrives as a winter destination. The town had a bit of sleepy feel to it yet there was an excitement in me that grew the more we ambled the lovely streets. I can’t quite explain the feeling of tranquility mixed with excitement I feel when I’m in Greece.

We were ready for a great meal after enjoying our first day in Greece exploring Ancient Delphi and the town of Arachova. A warm welcome greeted us when we arrived at the restaurant. We found a spot to sit outside which is always our preference when the weather is pleasant.

The restaurant itself was small and as most buildings here, made of stone. We sat along the cobblestone walk on wooden chairs with a woven seat at a red wooden table. The tables, lined up single file along the building, just added to the authentic ambiance. I loved the red tin cans which were planters for pink flowers setting at the windows. The aroma of delicious Greek food and spices fueled our appetite.

Although there were menus, our host, who I believe was the proprietor, sat down with us and started to chat. He wanted to know if we had been to Greece before and what our experiences with Greek food has been. We informed him this was our fourth time to Greece and we loved Greek food. He smiled and asked if we would like to try something different yet simple, local and traditional. We were absolutely in agreement with this.

Steve and I listened intently as he explained the different courses and voiced we could have as many or as few of the courses as we wished, just let him know after each course if we wanted another. They all sounded wonderful as we were hungry and very agreeable. He also chatted with us about the United States and told us of his visit there to Boston some years back. We were thoroughly enjoying this place and we hadn’t even started to eat!

Smiles lit up our faces as bread, tzatziki and wine came to our table. We hungrily enjoyed the fresh bread, simple yet delicious. The white wine was refreshing and perfect after a long day of travel and exploring.

Our next dish was an amazing soup. I can’t remember everything we were told was in it but it was tomato based topped with feta and had just the right amount of spice. It contained these little nuggets called trahana that gave the soup unique flavor. Trahana, as explained to us, is made of dried yogurt and grain. It is an ancient food and used widely in this area.

Steamed Vlita with olive oil, spices and feta was brought to our table after we finished the soup. These wild greens grow throughout this area of Greece. Seasoned to perfection, not only was this dish delicious, the aroma was amazing. It is my understanding Vlita is very healthy and nutritious.

Next came fava. Both of us love fava but this fava was a bit different as it included diced eggplant. Such an amazing addition. It didn’t take us long to devour this!

We were so hungry we thought we would be eating all of the courses but we were totally stuffed with just these three dishes! Our host did not seem surprised. These dishes, prepared in many areas of Greece currently and for many generations are foods that nourish and fulfill people’s appetite. All are made from items that are available throughout the area. Simple, yet filling and more than satisfying.

Much to our surprise, there was more to come. To end our meal, a custard type dessert with cherry spoon sweets on top was brought to our table. In addition, a digestif which contained a local liquor came as well. I did not catch the name of the liquor but it was so tasty. It was similar to a good bourbon but had a hint of cherry to it. Perfect end to a perfect meal.

As per usual, we learn something from our experiences in Greece. Aside from the normal things we learn, such as slowing down in life and enjoying the simple things, we also learned about a different type of food, Trahana. Now it may not be new to Greece but was very new to us. We enjoyed it so much that I bought 2 big bags before we left Arachova to take home.

Since then I have incorporated Trahana into my soups at home. Instead of chicken and noodle soup, I make chicken and trahana soup. When I make my sausage and tortellini soup, I substitute trahana for the tortellini and season it with Greek seasonings instead of Italian seasonings. Both change ups make for delicious soup alernatives which we and our family really enjoy. I love that we learn from other cultures and bring back the knowledge to use at home. Amazing how much we took back from a memorable meal in Arachova, Greece!