Gemista

Gemista. There’s one more vegetarian dish in the traditional menus of Chania you should really try out. It is especially popular during the summer months when tomatoes, eggplants, peppers & courgettes are fresh. Along with the vine leaves, the fresh veg becomes the vessel that contains the stuffing, a mixture of rice, chopped onion, dill & parsley called gemistá (stuffed in Greek).

The hollow vegetables & vine leaves are closed & are placed along with some water in the oven after they are topped with some grated goat cheese on top. After an hour or so the crispy vegetable shells, open for a cool dash of Cretan yogurt that supplements the steamy bouquet of rice in a bite that encapsulates all that is Cretan cuisine…one of the best in the world.