Lesvos Safari Tours

Lesvos virgin olive oil

Lesvos famous virgin olive oil, where the golden color prevails, thanks to the traditional Lesbian way of olive collection and to the olive variety contains only a small quantity of chlorophyll. Holy tree for the nations of Mediterranean, the olive tree presents it’s nectar over 4.000 years. Several archaeological finds show people collecting olives the same way we do, painted ceramics, amphora and sculptures. Scientific researches and the acknowledge of the value of the Mediterranean food have consecrated the last years olive oil as one of the most powerful ally of our organism. Lesvos Island is full covered with olive trees from the north to the south with over 12000000 groves; Locals start collecting the olives from November till March by the same traditional way for ages, men are hitting the trees with long sticks and women collect the olives. At this time of year you smell the fresh olive oil everywhere. Lesvos olive oil is produced primarily from one type of olive… the regal, smaller variety of Kalamata, also known with its botanical name Koroneiko, a more productive type.

The production of each tree varies between 30 – 50 kg of olive oil, depending on mature time, weather, and growth of tree. Other type of trees produces olives bigger in size which are kept mature in salt or vinegar, a great appetizer (meze). At this time over the 60% Lesvos olive oil production is certified as biological and haw already win several awards from international organizations. Lesvos olive oil can be found bottled in many sizes all around the world.

Ladotiri of Lesvos

Ladotiri or Kefalaki is a traditional Greek cheese, which is mainly produced in the island of Mitilini. It is a hard cheese, manufactured from either pasteurized or raw sheep’s milk or mixtures of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Genuine goat’s milk is not used as it leads to very hard products. The main characteristic of the traditional Ladotiri cheese is that it is preserved in olive oil. This is the reason why it is called Ladotiri. (ladi = olive oil, tiri = cheese, Ladotiri =cheese preserved in olive oil). Nowadays, in many dairy plants, this manipulation is omitted. Instead of that, when the cheese obtains a moisture content lower than 40%, is usually covered with paraffin, but the name Ladotiri is still used. The name “Kefalaki” is also used for that cheese, which means small cheese. Ladotiri has strong flavour and characteristic shape, the shape of a small cylinder of about 10cm diameter and 12 cm height and 1.2 kg weight. It is mainly used for table eating, and is considered as a type of Kefalotiri of good quality.

Lesvos Ouzo

The ouzo of the island of Lesvos is considered as the best one. Most kafenion owners in Greece will admit that the best ouzo comes from this island and they probably carry one of the more popular Lesvos products. Ouzo is made from a precise combination of pressed grapes and herbs and berries. It begins as alcohol made from grape skins or other local products. It is then brought together with herbs and other ingredients, including star anise, coriander, cloves, angelica root, licorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, hazelnut and even cinnamon and lime blossom. The mixture is boiled in a copper still, regulated by a taster.The resulting liquid is cooled and stored for several months before it is diluted to about 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol

Lesvos salted sea food (pasta)

Lesvos is also well-known for its salted fish; sardines (sardeles pastes) of the gulf of Kalloni witch have been fished in the morning then salted and ready to be served in the evening. The locals prefer to keep them in olive oil after they clean them from the salt but you can find them also canned. You will find them in any restaurant from June till September and it is the best snack for ouzo. Except of the sardines for many years now small units of fish processing and packaging operate in Lesvos: sardine, chop mackerel, common mackerel, anchovy and bonito.