Nikki Rose in Archaeological Institute of America Magazine
Nikki Rose in Archaeological Institute of America Magazine
Interview: The Joy of Cretan Cooking November 9, 2010| by Eti Bonn-Muller
Chef-instructor Nikki Rose talks about the importance of protecting Crete’s natural and cultural resources—and how “green” the Minoans really were. http://www.archaeological.org/news/aianews/3303
Note that CCS is not affiliated with or supported by any public or private agency in Greece or anywhere else.
[Finally, some media outlets are not deleting my text about UN-sustainable issues in Crete!]
Excerpt
...modern, conventional agriculture, using chemicals that are harmful to all living beings, was not practiced on Crete until the 20th century. Illegal, industrial over-fishing in Greece is a major problem, in addition to global water pollution. I don’t know how our small-scale fishers survive. In fact, many of them have given up fishing or fish just as a hobby now, which is unfortunate.
Yet we still enjoy many ingredients just as our ancestors did, as well as dishes that evolved from layers of history, discovery, and trade. There is still a lot of subsistence farming—urban and suburban gardens—and an increasing amount of small-scale commercial organic agriculture that is similar to ancient times. Most of our sheep and goats still have some territory to graze on wild plants that impart wonderful earthy flavors in our cheeses and yogurt. However, overgrazing is an issue. Holiday resorts and villas surrounded by fences don’t help either.
Ongoing irresponsible development threatens all of our culinary treasures and distinctive heritage. That’s why I think it’s crucial to protect what we still have, for our own selfish palates, if nothing else! We can do that by learning about how great food arrives at our tables and what we need to do to keep it that way, including supporting our organic farmers and small-scale fishers. Then we can truly celebrate! When we see a wild oregano plant for the first time, perhaps we know it’s a delicious gift from nature. If we actively work to protect our gifts instead of bulldozing or over-harvesting them, we’re doing ourselves a favor and leaving some good food for future generations to enjoy.
