Paros in the Autumn: Naoussa

Today I start posting photos from my quick autumnal trip to Paros. The starting point is Naoussa, with its beautiful old fishing port.

The old fishing port of Naoussa remains a beauty in any season. The small church of Agios Nikolaos is one of the most picturesque I have seen in Greece.

The colors are clear, almost intense, the nets are covered, the weather outside is rough.  The white wall on the right is Agios Nikolaos’.

A lazy day for the fishing boats, the weather is very windy. The ruined fortress is testimony to the past of the island, when pirates were attacking and the locals were defending.

The inevitable reminder of the link with the Ottoman Empire (Soultana is the name of the boat, and it is derived from the word Sultan, the Ruler, the Emperor in the Ottoman days – Soultana or Sultana is the daughter, or sister of the Ruler – the Queen Mother, ie the Sultan’s mother was called “Valide Sultan”as for the “wife” she had no name, as it were the harem, not a single woman giving the delights to the ruler. The unknown harem meber became a woman with a name only when she gave birth to a Sultan).

Agios Nikolaos’ belfry. This could be the definite post card from Greece. It has the colors, it has the flag, it has the religious symbol, it has the subliminal simplicity and clarity of the Aegean light.

Gone are the fiery summer colors. The port is resting. I like it like this. It is more human.

Gone are the crowds and the chairs. The space has cleared and the simple white structure rests on its own. As it should.

Very few people are around, all of them tourists. The locals have no reason to come to the old fishing port.

Spaace has been transformed. Everything has now its own space to breath.

Little Venice (Zourio) in glorious clouds.

There are more seagulls than people.

With this tranquil image I end the “Naoussa” post. More posts will follow on the village of Lefkes, the “capital” Paroikia and a selection of other spots on the island.

Damianos Fish Tavern, Ambelas, island of Paros, Greece

A touch of the unforeseen landed me on the island of Paros for a short visit in October. The tourist season in Paros is very short, only three months, June, July, September. As a result in the first half of October the options for a decent meal to the visitor are limited.

Initially I wanted to go to Ventouris, a fish tavern I have enjoyed in the past, but as I have heard the tavern was closed. Instead, I opted for the fish tavern of Damianos, 100 meters from Ventouris. Here is my report.

The tavern is literally by the sea. However, the days before my arrival there were quite strong winds that prevented the fish boats from fishing. The result is that the fresh fish available was minimal (literally). When nature tries you you have to resort to the means by which man has been able to preserve food. In this case, salt curing provided the answer to the question: “what  do you recommend for today?”

Salt cured red mullet with garlic and rosemary

Manos brought to me the red mullet fillets that have been salt cured, then thoroughly cleaned from the salt and stored in olive oil, thin slices of garlic and rosemary. The taste was wonderful, intense, full of flavor, and the flesh juicy and firm. Eduardo, the Peruvian who has made Paros his home for the last 15 years, told me the story of the dish. It started from a village on the Peloponnese and was modified by Damianos, the owner of the tavern.

Salt cured sardines - frissa

The next delicacy was salt cured frissa, the large sardine fished in the waters of the Aegean.  Here what impressed me was the balance of the salty taste, and the moist flesh of the fish. One thing is obvious, Damianos knows how to salt cure fish!!!

Potatoes with onions and capers

The island of Naxos can be seen from Ambelas. It is less than 5 nautical miles away. Manos told me that they had received some nice potatoes from Naxos. they boiled them, dressed them with olive oil, and served with parsley, onions and capers which grow in abundance on Paros. I Was lucky to taste this dish, that in its simplicity was magnificent!!!! The flesh of the potato was sweet, soft and almost creamy. The combination with the onions and the capers was harmonious.

Vegetables

This dish of assorted vegetables came to partner with the main protein dish of the meal, chick peas!!! Chick peas  grown on the island of Paros are limited in quantities but delicious. They cook them in the oven with plenty of onions and herbs (mainly oregano). They are soft, tender, and have smoky flavor.

Chick peas

At the end, a simple and delicious local sweet, called “patsavouropita”, literally translated as “rag-pie”. It is made with fillo, and a mix of eggs, milk, flower, and a bit of lemon peel.

Eating is Damianos was a pleasure of discovery of the technique and joy of salt curing done with expertise and skill. But the potatoes with the onions and the capers topped the bill for me as the simplest and most flavorful dish. Talking to Eduardo after the meal, he promised to me that next time (assuming that fish and seafood will be available) he will prepare the original Peruvian cheviche. For those who have tasted the original Peruvian cheviche, this sounds like a very good reason for another quick visit to Paros. Thank you Eduardo, Manos, and Thodoris, for a wonderful meal and your hospitality.

Au revoir!

Fish Tavern Ventouris, Ambelas, island of Paros, Greece – Ταβέρνα Βεντουρής – Αμπελάς, Πάρος

Τελειο μεγεθος

This is a post from my visit to the fish tavern “Ventouris”, in the location Ambelas, on the island of Paros, Greece.

Μια και δεν μπορω να βρω τον αστακο που ζητησε η Ν, και επειδη οι φθινοπωρινες αναρτησεις της Δ με τα κιτρινα φυλλα μου θυμιζουν οτι ηρθε το φθινοπωρο, αποφασισα να γυρισω στο καλοκαιρι και ανεσυρα απο το καλοκαιρινο αρχειο μου μια επισκεψη στην υπεροχη ταβερνα του Βεντουρή στον Αμπελά της Παρου.

Ταβερνα Βεντουρης

Η ταβερνα ανοιξε το 1974 και απο τοτε προσφερει στους πελάτες της φρέσκο ψάρι και θαλασσινα, που τα ψαρευει ο καπεταν Γιώργης και τα παιδιά του.

Καπεταν Γιωργης

Ο καπεταν Γιωργης βγαινει καθε μερα για ψαρεμα και καθε βραδι πριν φυγει για την ψαρια ειναι στην ταβερνα με το αστραφτερο του βλεμμα.

Καπεταν Γιωργης

Στην κουζινα κουμαντο κανει η κυρα Ελένη, η γυναικα του καπεταν Γιωργη,  παντα με το χαμογελο στα χειλη.

Κυρα Ελενη

Καθε σοβαρη απολαυση απαιτει απο τον υποψηφιο απολαυσία την κατασίγαση των ενστικτων, ωστε να κυριαρχει κατα τη διαρκεια της πραξεως η κριση, η μνημη, οι αισθησεις να ειναι κρυσταλλινες και συντονισμενες στην εντελεια.

Αυτο πρακτικά σημαινει οτι ποτε δεν τρως τον αστακο με αδειο στομαχι.

Ξεκιναμε λοιπον με ντοματοκεφτεδες, κι ενα ουζακι για να “ζεσταθουμε”.

Ντοματοκεφτεδες

Συνεχιζουμε με κατι πιο κοντα στη θαλασσα, μπαρμπουνια ψαρεμενα ωρες πριν και ψημενα στα καρβουνα απο την Αργυρώ, τη μαστορισσα της κουζινας. Και συνοδευουμε με λευκο κρασι.

Μπαρμπουνια των ωρων

Και τωρα ηρθε η ωρα για το επικεντρο της βραδιας.

Το βαρος του αστακου ηταν 1 κιλο και 300 γραμμαρια, τελειο μεγεθος.

Βρασμενος στην εντελεια

Αυγωμενος πληρως.

Αυγωμενος

Τι να πω παραπάνω, οπως λεει και ο Πανας “ανασταινει και …”.