Like any other place, the special flavors of Aegina are based on its own traditional products. And a key staple of local Aegean cuisine could be no other than pistachio.
Pistachios
Its cultivation started in 1920 on the island and only in 1994 the product became PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). Two years later, his name was officially published in the European Union newspaper. The Aeginians put the peanut in all their recipes. They make spoon sweets and jams, biscuits and nuts. In addition they make syrupy pastries, croissants, cookies, pastels and liqueurs, chocolates, peanut butter, pistachio pistachio and pistachio, ie a liqueur-flavored pistachio paste.
If you visit Aegina and go out for a meal, you will find that the pistachio has invaded many traditional recipes that fit perfectly. Feel free to try a pistachio dish, it will surprise you. As for the Pistachio Festival, it takes place on the island every year in early September and if you are there you will have the opportunity to try it in all versions. And of course shopping for traditional products that you find anyway throughout the year.
Mountain greens
Nutmeg, zucchini, cardamides, porridge, are some of the names of the greens that grow in Aegina that the locals collect to make delicious pies.
Tsigara
It is a spice made from the top of fresh milk.
Geremezi
It is a fresh, creamy goat cheese and has a sour but rich taste. It used to be prepared in spring and summer, but now you can find it and ask for it easily.
Katsoula
It is a Saronic fish with a sweet taste. However, it is located in Aegina, where they fish because of the special composition of its waters.
Retsina of Aegina
Together with the rosettes and sabbaticals they are mainly produced for local consumption. Bulk for sale you can find if you take a stroll in the vineyards of Mesagros.
Olive Oil
Finally, in Aegina you will find a small local olive oil production.
If you are looking for a good reason to visit Aegina, it could be the Pistachio Festival. This is a unique event in Greece that is organized every September on the beloved Argosaronic island. And since the weather at that time is still sweet and warm, take advantage of it to enjoy the beaches of Aegina, but also to experience the Aegina Fistiki Fest 2022 up close.
Aegina Fistiki Fest
What many do not know before experiencing the pulse of the festival up close is that it is not just a celebration where this nutritious fruit has its due. Beyond the stands with vendors promoting their peanut-based products, the celebration is framed by a rich artistic program with interesting events:
Greek cuisine has many options and flavors. Greek delicacies are a feast of choices with no end! Immortal Greek flavors combined with sea, tables by the sea, sun and good company.
The success of a trip, however brief it may be, is not about if you have had fun. It also includes souvenirs on your trip, which you put in your suitcases and remind you of the place you visited.
The Greek economy for many years relied on agriculture, livestock and of course tourism. Over the years, landowners have turned to different, more productive crops. Nuts from Greece are exported to many countries. The first preference is the pistachios of Aegina. Next are walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and chestnuts. All of the above are rich sources of nutrients, necessary for a balanced diet.
The local cuisines of the countries or the different regions of a country always have something good and interesting to show no matter how famous they are. A typical example is Aegina. The local cuisine of the favorite island of Argosaronikos is based on its local product which is none other than the pistachio of Aegina. Below you will find three well-known recipes from Aegina slightly "teased", a salad, a main meal and a snack.
Let's be honest, one of the best parts of any trip is souvenir shopping. A souvenir doesn't just have to be a product that's unique to the place we're visiting, like a traditional local item. It can be anything that reminds us of our trip. So let's take a look at some of the most characteristic souvenirs we can bring back from the Argosaronic islands of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina.
Nuts have been popular since ancient Greece. Today they are still consumed in the context of a balanced, healthy diet. In fact, since antiquity, large quantities of fruits were consumed, such as pistachios, walnuts, almonds, sesame and chestnuts. Some of them, like chestnuts, are considered superfoods.
Pistachio is one of the tastiest and best quality nuts you can choose. Its nutritional value is great, it is rich in biotin, proteins and minerals. Peanuts are eaten roasted or whole after removing the shell, salted or unsalted.
