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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
or 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
of 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
one.
And this traditional, sweet - smelling orange
cookie inspired us to offer another two
versions:
one 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 Kythera,
ignited our imagination.
We proudly present a version based on the
original recipe that features cinnamon,
together with an innovative creation of our own,
using cocoa.
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
original 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
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