The inspiration It all began with a vision To introduce the art of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The inspiration

It all began with a vision… To introduce the art of Greek home baking and pastry- making to the world at large… Starting from age-old recipes, and with the help of renowned Greek chefs, we set off on a sweet journey through time, determined to come up with recipes of our own the tastiest and most nutritious of them all.

So, too, every Greek housewife creates sweet

• r savory treats in her own special way and

serves them with pride. ALMYRA, KOURABIES, BISKOTA, KOULOURAKI, TOU KOUTALIOU, ROSEDES… Little Greek treats. And so, our name was born: Petits Grecs Petits Grecs. Finest Greek Treats. Welcome to their own sweet world.

Kourabies

The word kourabies has its roots in the words Kuru, which means dry, and biye, which means biscuit. It is most likely that the word originated from Turkey and made its way into the Greek language during the period of Ottoman rule. Kourabies is a Greek treat that has always sweetened and adorned every festive table, taking up a special place at the Christmas table. As a symbol of Greek hospitality, it is also customary to welcome guests into your home by offering them a kourabies. Its presence on every happy occasion makes it synonymous with joy. It is a classic treat served in every Greek home, and an important part of Greek home baking.

Ιn the past, women would often take part in a silent, unspoken competition in an effort to present the tastiest recipe. This explains the countless number of different versions that can be found today. Many regions in Greece claim the origin of the “authentic” recipe. Every place and every homemaker boasts their own recipe, which they proudly pass on from generation to generation. Petits Grecs follows a family recipe which is based on the most famous and widespread recipe, that of Kavala. That city’s fascinating and unique gastronomy is enriched with elements from the cuisine of Greeks from Pontus (the Black Sea), Cappadocia and other parts of Asia Minor. Built at the foot of Mount Symvolo in northeastern Greece, Kavala is a city with a long and multicultural history; a bustling harbor that unites the East with the West, Asia with Europe.

This recipe is considered to be the tastiest and our aim was to make it even more nutritious by altering some ingredients combined with pure, fresh butter that provides a sweet aroma and a rich, full flavor. Staying true to tradition, we have added our very own touch; apart from the classic vanilla “kourabies,” we have come up with three more flavors: Greek coffee, cinnamon and anise. Kourabies can be enjoyed as an after- dinner sweet or as an accompaniment to coffee and tea.

Tou koutaliou

“Tou koutaliou” stands for “spoon sweets” in Greece. The traditional local sweet preserve is among the most widespread treats. The picturesque, mythical mountain of Pelion could easily claim the title of “tou koutaliou” best sweets.

Pelion is a mountainous peninsula surrounded by sea, in the centre of Greece. It is a place of exquisite natural beauty. According to the Greek mythology, Mount Pelion was the homeland of Chiron the Centaur, tutor of many ancient Greek heroes, such as Jason, Achilles, Theseus and Heracles. It was in Mount Pelion, that the dispute of who is “The Fairest” among the Greek goddesses, that arose the events leading to the Trojan War. The traditional home made spoon sweets and jams of Pelion are famous and the recipes are passed on from generation to generation. They consist of a wide variety of fresh fruits or vegetables taken directly from the rich land of Pelion.

In Greece we offer them “straight” served in a small, delicate, glass plate with a teaspoon. Our range includes three delicious fruits: sour cherries, quince and fig. You can enjoy them as an accompaniment to yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, tarts or as spread.

Almyrά

“Almyrά” is how we Greeks call our savory

• treats. They come in many different

shapes and each housewife has her own little “secret” recipe to present. For our almyrά biscuits we have been inspired by the praised pies (pita in Greek) of Epirus, which is located in the north-west part of Greece, between the mountain range of Pindos and the Ionian Sea.

In the past, pita was the dominant element in the nutrition of the native nomad breeders, who had to survive on a little flour and what the surrounding nature provided them. Thus, they have become very imaginative with their pies and today there are endless alternative recipes. Feta, the famous Greek PDO soft, white cheese, was an important ingredient and it was usually not missing from their pies. Staying loyal to this tradition, all our almyrά biscuits contain Feta, enriched with various Greek herbs, spices and vegetables. The Petits Grecs almyrά range includes 4 different flavors: spinach & pumpkin seeds, paprika & chili pepper, maratho seeds & turmeric and olives & coriander seeds.

Melomakarona

The first compound of the word [meli] means honey in Greek. It is not by chance that melomakarona are considered the ultimate sweet Greek treat for Christmas and New Year wishes. Τhey symbolize welfare and creativity. Melomakarona are honey cakes, which are baked and served all over Greece with slight variations. In some areas they add nuts on top, in others they use walnuts inside, as stuffing. Either way they are definitely one of the most traditional Greek treats.

The roots of our recipe can be traced to the Greeks of Smyrna, in Asia Minor, whose inspired cuisine became an integral part of the Greek mainland tradition when they resettled back in the early 20th century. In 1920, the picturesque harbor of Smyrna was considered one of the liveliest internationally. The city itself had a sophisticated multicultural character and the Greeks who lived there, were literally citizens of the

• world. When they were forced to return to

the mainland of Greece, they brought with them their culture of food, music, trade, art and literature. The Greek cuisine, especially the one of Northern Greece, is highly influenced by the cooking habits of the area.

Served to guests at home or offered as a gift, melomakarona [or finikia as they use to call them] was an integral

• f the Christmas preparations and festivity.

We have chosen the most characteristic recipe, the one that enhances the characteristic taste of cinnamon, nutmeg and wildflower honey, which we add after baking the cakes. It is melting in the mouth, leaving a lasting, sweet aromatic flavor. You simply can’t resist to a second one!

Biskota

“Biskota” is the Greek word for biscuits. The southern big island of Crete has a long tradition in recipes with ingredients rich in nutritional value. Based on this philosophy we created a snack series high in nutrients of unique character. The traditional Cretan nutrition is considered worldwide a model for healthy diet, with research proving that its inhabitants live longer compared to other developed countries.

The local cuisine is based on the consumption of cereals, vegetables and herbs, dairy, fruits, legumes, nuts, wine, honey, olive oil and limited quantity of meat. The history of the Cretan cuisine is lost in the mists of time. Even when the island encountered successive conquerors, such as Arabs, Venetians and Turks, the agricultural production of the island helped Cretans to survive them all. Inspired by the highly nutritional cuisine of Crete, we have come up with three different tastes of Biskota, all based in nourishing ingredients; a stick with black raisin, almonds and dark chocolate, a second one with tahini and one with almonds.

Our recipe for the black raisin, almonds and dark chocolate stick was inspired by the fragrant, delicious character of this distinctive fruit, which we decided to add to the original recipe. Although the origin of the word tahini - also known as super food - is arabic, it is commonly used in Greek recipes. It was a great challenge for us to come up with an inspired idea using this unique nutrient. The delicacy and the multiple nutritional value of almonds have established them as one of the most favorite nuts of Greek pastry making. How could we not dedicate a recipe to this beloved ingredient? Enjoy our Biskota as a nutritious in-between meal snack.

Koulouraki

The “koulouraki” is an archetype of Greek light, flavorful and nutritious treat. In Greece we name “Koulouraki” all the baked treats that we would call a cookie. They are created in many different shapes and sizes and the variety of the ingredients used is boundless. The braided version, though, is considered a classic. We have selected three examples which we believe best represent this wide and important category of sweet treats, all from recipes which originate from the Peloponnese.

The beautiful Peloponnese peninsula has a mountainous interior and deeply indented coasts. Rich in mythological stories and homeland of the ancient Olympic Games, Peloponnese is definitely a land of mystery and interest. It is blessed with climatic conditions that favor agricultural production and its culinary history has been formed by the various occupants that inhabited the area: franks, ottomans and venetians. Oranges, grapes and olives are the most common fruits of the area, while cinnamon is Peloponnesian cuisine’s favorite spice. Locals often “sweeten” their savory dishes by adding some cinnamon and raisins, giving them a hot, spicy flavor. In the Sparta region of the Peloponnese, village women consider the orange to be a key ingredient in their recipe, surely because of the beautiful fragrance arising from the orange groves in blossom throughout the area. Last but not least, mahleb is widely used in their Eastern home bakery.

The foremost classic is the Greek handmade braided cookie treat with orange. Our recipe is based on the treasured local

• ne.

And this traditional, sweet - smelling orange cookie inspired us to offer another two versions:

• ne with cinnamon

and another one with mahleb.

Rosedes

Almond paste sweets are another classic Greek treat. Variations in the recipe can be found all over the

• country. The islands, however, are famous for

making the tastiest “Amygdalota” (Greek for almond paste treats). On some Greek islands, the local people call their Amygdalota by the name “Rosedes.” Made by women in their homes throughout the Aegean Archipelago, they are the confectionary treats par excellence to serve to guests gathered at weddings and baptisms.

Our recipe comes from Kythera in southern Greece, island of heavenly Aphrodite and her consort, Eros. Kythera is a blessed place, with unexplored aspects and richly varied landscapes; a place you are eager to experience. The island’s culinary tradition is reason enough to love the island. It is a magical coexistence of the modern Greek kitchen with the old ways, which often borrows elements from the historic Venetian presence on this island. The Rosedes made famous by Kythira ignited our imagination. We proudly present a version based on the

• riginal recipe filled with walnuts and honey

In our effort to create our own recipes, we were blessed with the help of inspired Greek chefs and pastry chefs. Their philosophy of using top quality raw materials, cleverly combined with simplicity and respect for the

• riginal flavors, gives a fresh breath of air to our

vision. Thank you Andreas, Marinos and Alexis. We are grateful!

ANDREAS LAGOS

Andreas Lagos stood by us during our Kourabies and almyra preparations. He calls himself a nomad, in the sense that he enjoys blending elements and ingredients to present an harmonious result. Originally from Samos, he has been travelling a lot and has worked in many 5 stars hotels and famous restaurants during his long career. He has been awarded with the Gold Medal in the European contest of Mediterranean cuisine.

MARINOS COSMAS

His open minded pastry talent has boosted our Rosedes recipe. Marinos has a rich experience as pastry chef and has been honored by the collaboration with world renowned restaurants: Planet Hollywood and Matsushisa next to chef Nobuyuki - better known as Nobu- in Athens, Grecotel Mykonos Blue, Belvedere hotel in Mykonos, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, Nobu Park Lane, Nobu Berkley St & Ubon, Sushisamba, Duck & Waffle in London and Canary Wharf, Costa Navarino in Peloponnese and Novikov restaurant in Dubai.

ALEXIS ALEXIOU

For our koulouraki and biskota treats we wanted to come up with “pure and simple” recipes. We have chosen Alexis to be our guide, since he is “Mr. Simplicity”. Alexis Alexiou is renowned for creating pastry menus based on the pureness of their ingredients. At the same time he enjoys surprising us and being subversive. His love for simplicity derives from his respect to nature and his strong believe in the rational use of all materials. Alexis is currently pastry chef at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Thessaloniki.

Petits Grecs Products are:

100% Natural Traditional Homemade Delicious Nutritious Different Nutty Exclusive

5-7 Vosporou str, 54454, Thessaloniki, Greece T +30 2310 904.579 info@petitsgrecs.gr www.petitsgrecs.com