Mykonos is the island of the winds, the battlefield of Zeus and the Titans, as well as the ultimate destination for unforgettable parties and demanding gastronomy experiences.
Let us dive into this marvel of the Aegean Sea!
Cyclades "encircling islands"
The Cyclades[1] are a complex of 24 islands in the Aegean Sea and a popular destination on the world tourist map. Their name is inspired by the Nymphs Cyclades, which according to ancient Greek mythology were transformed into rocks (the islands) by god Poseidon.
In addition, they got their name from the word “cycle” because in essence they were formed circularly around the sacred island of Delos which is the island of the god Apollo and the goddess Artemis. In ancient times, Cyclades were the lever of its development trade and culture in Greece.
The inhabitation on the Cyclades is dated from 6800 – 3200 B.C. This sea is during the Bronze Age (3200-1050 BC) the water strip that connects mainland Greece with Asia Minor, and Crete and the southern Aegean with the northern Helladic area, the southern Balkans and the Black Sea, thus constituting a field of intense economic, social and cultural ferment in general.
Elements that create this uniqueness on these islands are of course the environmental conditions with the sun, the sea and the well-known “meltemia”. Also, the folk architecture – which was and is a model for reference to the movement of the modern architecture – with the characteristic white houses that contrast with the serene blue of the sea, the monuments and buildings of agricultural and cultural heritage such as monasteries, windmills and watermills.
Moreover, Cycladic art such as pottery and pottery, of course people and hospitality, emeralds beaches and nature, tradition and customs and of course gastronomy.
[1] Cyclades: /ki-cla-des/, circle /ˈci.klos/, which is inherited from the Ancient Greek.
Thee[2] Mykonos
The name Mykonos, known from ancient coins and inscriptions, was given by tradition to the eponymous hero Mykonos, a descendant of the mythical king of Delos Anios, son of Apollo and nymph Royus, daughter of Dionysus.
Also, according to mythology the giants are buried under the rocks of Mykonos, after their defeat by Hercules in the Battle of the Giants. The name of the island, according to him in a way indicates the pile of stones or the stony place.
[2] Objective form of “thou”, archaic form of “you”, a more poetic usage of the pronoun as well as the definition of the uniqueness of the subject.
The land
Mykonos together with Delos, Rineia and some other rocky islets are one island complex east of the Cyclades, with an area of 105.5 square kilometers in total. The capital of the island is Mykonos, known as Chora. The population of the island according to the census of National Statistics Service year 2011 reaches 10,134 inhabitants.
Mykonos is 94 nautical miles away southeast of the port of Piraeus (Municipality of Mykonos, 2018) and has two ports in operation – the old port of Mykonos in the center of the island and the new port which is located 3.5 km north of the island, a marina and an international airport (Union of Ports Greece, 2020). Its climate is dry and Mediterranean.
Sapid[3] -sfaction
Since Mykonos is an island, it is depending on external suppling, which made the Mykoniates extremely multicultural, inventive and creative. The trade in the Cyclades started approximately in 2000 – 1550 B.C.
And the trade also brought the exchange of cultures and the establishment of the Mykonian cuisine as we know it now.
A well-known delicacy of the island is kopanisti, a kind spicy brine cheese with a soft texture, as well as cheese and sour cream, traditionally accompanied in a soaked barley nut in combination with tomato and cucumber.
In terms of cold cuts, louiza, paides, noumboulo and sausages have a great position in the diet of residents and visitors.
The louiza, is one cold cut made every autumn from local pork and includes whole the fillet of the back with the outer fat. After drying from the Mykonian air, it is “cooked” in the beginning of winter under the sun together with sea salt, pepper and its spices, allspice and thyme.
There are of course the rafiolia, a traditional dessert used in the pan strongly in the Mykonian breakfast.
Local savory fish, the grilled skaros, the Houhoulians – sea snails – and skunks, are only some of the many options for an exquisite meal.
Various types of mushrooms in the pan, lamb fricassee, broad beans in many variations with lard and fennel, snails and fennel meatballs.
In the part of the art of bakery, we can find the rolls, the trowels, the first ovens and the double-walled nuts.
In fact, a favorite delicacy that combines the barley nut, the melted tomato and the batter. As for traditional based pies the gingerbread, and the onion pies and the bites, which stand out prepared with the aroma of orange, honey and cinnamon.
For dessert we have, the award-winning traditional amygdalota (macaroons) of Mykonos, roasted chocolate chip cookies and are flavored with bitter almond.
There are of course the rafiolia, a traditional dessert used in the pan strongly in the Mykonian breakfast. In addition, soumada is a favorite non-alcoholic refreshing drink again based on almond.
[3] Sapid: the molecules which deliver the sensation of taste to the taste receptor in the oral cavity.
Acknowledgments
Mrs. Sopaki & Mrs. Remoundou, for their valuable data.
Sopaki, Remoundou, 2021, “Tourism Entrepreneurship: the case of Mykonos”.
