Until 1993, Kyparissi in Laconia, was connected by ferry from Piraeus.
The difficulty in reaching this end of the Peloponnese was a catalytic factor in the preservation of the area from the influx of tourists. This aspect, together with its natural beauty, makes the area a real ” gem ” which some people might regard as rare.
After the”Lighthouse Turn”
We arrived before 12 noon via the relatively new road -constructed in the last 5 years- from Fokiano. After the “Lighthouse Turn,” a unique image unfolded before us, the absolute beauty of a settlement, a symbol of simplicity and truth. For many years, I wanted to visit this village, but circumstances did not allow me. and although it is the end of March, it feels like summer! We walked through the narrow streets of the Metropolis, one of the three parts that make up Kyparissi, and I felt as though we were on an island of the Aegean! We would be given the opportunity to walk around later, that is, after our visit to Mrs Anna, a native of the area, who had prepared for us her renowned kaltsounia a local delicacy, where she would also show us how to make armathies, another culinary delicacy of Kyparissi. While the dessert kaltsounia may refer to something we are widely familiar with, we saw that this was not the case! Mrs. Anna was waiting for us at her daughter’s tavern, “The Beautiful Cypress.”
Stockbreeders with 300 goats
Mrs Anna and her husband, Mr Christos, were breeders. They had 300 goats. “We spent a lifetime in the mountains, but we enjoyed it,” she shared while wearing her colourful apron and preparing for the process. “We used to make these in the morning before we left for work so we could have food for the day. It’s no big thing! They’ll be ready in no time, you’ll see!” When I hear the words, “it’s no big thing” from these women who have been tired, have experienced hardship, have weathered storms and yet continue to laugh, it makes me want to give them a huge thank you! It is these generations that offer us strength and make us want to view tomorrow in a different perspective.
March was an intense month for inflation in Greece and Southern Europe
“It’s no big thing!”
However, coming back to “it’s no big thing,” Mrs. Anna had already made the dough and was rolling it out. “The dough shouldn’t be too thin. We want it to be a little thick so it can hold the filling that we’re going to put in it. In the meantime Kostis was trying to capture perfect photos. “Photograph the food not me,” she told him, and the truth is, seeing her face, her laughter and the beautiful signs of time, I wanted to tell Kostis to never mind the food and just focus on her.
The filling
The dough was ready, and in a large bowl, lettuce, fresh onion, and mountain greens had already been chopped. “It’s a good idea to prepare them a little earlier so as to leave them in the basin for a while, and then put them in the kaltsouni.” She had prepared 6 pastry pieces of filling each with plenty of the chopped vegetables. Slowly, she pulled each sheet of dough to envelop the vegetables and seal each one. Seeing the volume of the greens at first, I thought this was not possible. And yet, not only was, they turned out nicely! Next, she baked each on an electric grill. “We used to roast them on the fire. Either on the fireplace or in the oven. Nowadays, we have these conveniences”
“Are we going to eat anything or are we just going to watch?”
At some point Mr. Christos, her husband, appears. “I’m 91 this year. We stopped doing the heavy work, so now we only have the garden to pass the time. That’s where I am coming from. I had gone to water the summer plants. You see, it’s summer now. Who knows what will happen when the real summer months arrive.” He then takes a seat and observes his wife. “Are we going to eat anything or are we just going to watch?” He asks Mrs. Anna. “Patience! Whoever is here will eat, whoever isn’t won’t,” she tells him and bursts out laughing as did Mr. Christos.
Let’s continue with the armathies
While the kaltsounia were cooking, we went out to the patio. Here, Mrs. Anna made us armathia. She easily threaded her needle, calling it her second nature saying that in the old days they used to gather what food was in season and have it prepared for other occasions and that’s exactly what the delicacy armathia is! At this time of year, in spring they gather wild greens and thread them with a needle, they then hang them in a shaded place with air so they can dry. “These greens, once they are dried, you boil them in water in the summer and it will be as though you have freshly picked them the same day.”
Time for siesta
After finishing the armathia, the kaltsounia were ready we sat at the table to eat while being told stories of the old days. “In summer, we used to take our goats to the mountain. There, we would milk them and often we had enough to also make our cheese. We had good times. It was a different time. Then somehow things changed.”
Mr. Christos needed to take his nap. “Stay for a while and we’ll go,” Mrs. Anna told him, nodding as as a sign for him to wait. After a while we left. We didn’t go for siesta, we were happy to have met these people who had their truth, their humour and willingness to live beautifully, simply and unapologetically. “The Beautiful Cypress.” has already been listed in my highlights. These people will not be forgotten. They left us with an incredible impression, with their good humour, their powerful soul and infectious smile!
