Dionysos - my kinda guy!

My loyal reader will surely know that I am devoted to wine, its appreciation and responsible consumption; before you rush to write in remind me I will also admit to the occasional irresponsibility in my long love affair with wine. It is, you may also think, natural that I should have an interest in and affinity with the ancient god of wine and winemaking, Dionysos, though his alleged religious ecstasy and ritual madness capers I have so far left to others. Predictably, then, I would have sought to join a wine and food appreciation society with the modest name 'The Friends of Dionysos' if such a thing existed; it did and I did. For many years this has also been the Greek arm of the International Academy of Gastronomy, a bright beacon promoting quality in food and wine locally, and everything to do with Greek food and wine internationally through the auspices of the IAG.

While I am not easily convinced to respect and worship deities of any shape and size, Dionysos comes as close as any in earning my admiration - this was a god who promoted making and drinking wine, for crying out loud - and I regularly worship at his altar, figuratively speaking. My offerings may not always be to Dionysos' high standards - not that he ever had a manifesto along those lines as far as I am aware - but I can only assume that a god isn't a great fan of 'house wines'. So it was a great relief to take part in a dinner as a member of his 'Friends' featuring some quite outstanding wines that I suspect even Zeus would have been grateful to drink. Not only that, but I was asked to present a red wine from one of my favourite grape varieties (Xynomavro=sour black) from the north of Greece (Naoussa area)and a top, if major, producer, Boutari.

Let me also mention here that in recent years I have come to appreciate and support Schumacher's 'Small is Beautiful' mantra in many ways despite having written a paper decrying it at college, though my interest now is not in industrial producers but in food and/or wine and those involved in the production thereof. Usually big producers in this area tend to make industrial, less than distinguished or interesting, products that may be reliable but are often boring and lack passion, though there are rare exceptions. Boutari is one such mainstream beast, with a basic line-up of wines that are decent and even exciting; they also make a few experimental cuvees that can border on the great, even if some do not quite make the grade into regular production for whatever reason.

On a windy September evening then we kicked off with a blanc-des-noirs white wine from the north of Greece, made from the xynomavro grape (Angel's Heart 2014) and a very good producer (Tatsis in Goumenissa). Distinguished and subtle peaches featured with a layered palate, this was a gorgeous mouthful that accompanied our starter of feta, courgette and tomato tart extremely well.

'My' wine was another xynomavro wine, fully red this time, the Boutari Legacy 1879 from the excellent 2007 vintage. An experimental xynomavro wine from their Terroir No.1 - the 1879 refers to the year the Boutari company was founded, incidentally, not the vintage - that was vinified and bottled separately to Terroirs No.2 and 3. A big, tannic wine softened by bottle age, black cherry and strawberry everywhere, complex and long but perhaps lacking a bit of finesse. And I cheated and secretly tried one of the other experimental wines, Terroir 2 perhaps, which had the finesse lacking from the previous one with all the class and even more complexity. These are world-class wines deserving a wider audience and are wonderful with roast meat of almost any kind, including the pork fillet served on the night.

The wine of the evening for me, though, was the Santorini 2008 from Sigalas, served from magnums... wow! The signature Santorini white wine freshness is no longer there, but sedate maturity has given the wine a complexity and depth of taste, including mineral undertones, that is quite extraordinary. As the future of Santorini viticulture and winemaking is becoming more secure through international recognition and the higher prices these gems now command, they are, alas, becoming less affordable for the rest of us. So enjoy them where and when you can and try ageing them a bit if at all possible, even if only to see (and taste!) the difference. The Greek cheeses served with this were decent if not quite up to the majesty of the wine.

The dessert (a peach and caramel mille-feuille) was paired with an aged tsipouro distillate from the Spyropoulos family on the island of Evia (Euboea), described as a grape marc and blending almonds caramel tones with fiery alcohol for a fitting combination and an end to the meal that Dionysos himself I'm sure would have approved of. The lack of religious ecstasy and ritual madness he may have found less agreeable, which goes to show you can't please everyone, including gods of all shapes and sizes; the actual attendees seemed pretty happy, though, at another unique event hosted by his friends.

Dionysos himself must have been quite pleased also, as I had no hangover in the morning despite my extensive devotional attention to the offerings. In grateful thanks I will continue my appreciation of all wine - praise be to Dionysos and all his friends.

Make my coffee Redd, please!

Coffee is loved by millions across the globe in all its various types, hot or cold, instant or 'real', even decaffeinated. From humble beginnings in Ethiopia, Arabia and the likes, refined and 'reinvented' in Italy, it has now invaded the chicest parlours the world over. Strong, sometimes massive brands have been created on the strength of coffee's popularity over the years, dominating the market and marginalising the smaller, independent producers, until recently.
Globalisation and an increased interest in the character and quality of what we ingest has helped create a novel trend, that of 'gourmet' coffee. This is coffee made from beans bought from small independent producers, usually fully identified, and roasted in small batches according to their individual characteristics by specialists working in small or small-ish independent set-ups. These coffees do not conform to the stereotypes of taste laid down by the big boys; rather, they are complex and characterful, wildly different depending on their terroir, much like fine wine. They are different and, when they come from a top little roaster, they are good, really, really good. Suddenly your standard coffee tastes, well, ordinary.

Greece has never been thought of as a coffee pioneer, other than 'inventing' Frappe (a shaken instant coffee drink usually made with Nescafe), but there has been lots of activity on the coffee front recently, some of it very creative. One of the top little set-ups in Greece is a company called Redd Coffee, based in Athens and with a retail shop in one of the northern suburbs of said city, where they sell not only beans, but grind them to specification according to how you drink your coffee (filter and what type thereof, espresso etc.). Furthermore they can make you a coffee on the spot to drink there or take away, though they do not run a cafe per se - there is no service, few seats and no real tables. It's all about the coffee here and it's WONDERFUL!

In order to fully appreciate their coffees you must first divest yourself, dear reader, of your preconceptions about how your coffee should taste, which is not an easy thing to do, at least initially. Not only are we used to certain styles of coffee but typical roasting also tends to emphasise a house style for a type of coffee, something which is completely absent here. At the same time Italians have favoured a rather heavier roast for espresso, again with an emphasis on a general style (with 'house' undertones) and not on the individuality of the beans. Redd does the opposite, assessing and roasting depending on the beans themselves, their provenance and whether they are to be used for filter coffee, espresso or... The results are notable for their complexity, individuality and depth of flavour, making the daily cup of coffee not only enjoyable but interesting.

One thing you will not find here is coffee that is red in colour, as the name is derived from other influences (perhaps the raw beans...) and is not, as far as I can see, related to the colour of the coffee. Their premises do tend to make rather a lot of the colour, and very stylish they are too, but this is by the by as far as I'm concerned. As beautiful as the design may be, I go there for the coffee and so should you, so never forget that - so just allow your senses to open up, take in the stimuli and enjoy the various offerings, including the trendy, right-on cold brew.

The main drawback I have found since becoming a Redd aficionado is that suddenly all 'normal' coffees taste one dimensional and dull (for espresso and cappuccino), with the ordinary supermarket branded filter coffees assuming a sludgy and gritty profile. As with most everything superb quality spoils us and our tastebuds, and we yearn for more of the same; to my mind it's a price worth paying, despite the beautiful but for my taste superfluous designs made with milk (in the cappuccinos that I favour in the morning) perhaps as a result of North American stylistic influences. The other drawback is cost, which, alas, is of course higher than the more industrial counterparts but still value for money in my book And not only is every cup of coffee - or almost every, anyway - an adventure in taste but just by drinking it I am helping small coffee growers survive and thrive and not be ground down (sorry...!) by massive corporations; I'm practically a philanthropist damn it, thanks to Redd, and even you, dear reader, can become one too.

Of all the bars in all the world...!

There's a quirky bar on a small but popular Greek island that is my go-to place in the whole wide world when I want to chill out and relax, have a decent drink and listen to a mix of the most eclectic music possible. That it is owned by a lovely guy who has been a dear friend for the last twenty years is a bonus, not a factor, in my judgement. This special little place is on the island of Koufonissi, is called Nikita's bar and is owned and run by - you guessed it - a local man whose first name is Nikita.

Now Koufonissi is a tiny island, part of the small Cyclades grouping to the southeast of Naxos and something like four square kilometres in total - a speck in the Aegean Sea. What makes it special is that it has been blessed with beaches of incredible quality, with amazing colours and crystal-clear waters. A word of caution, though: the sea here is always a bit on the cold side, so not for lovers of warm, bathwater temperatures, due to the strong currents swirling around this little rocky place.

Nikita's Bar sits just above one such beach, probably not the most impressive around near the island's little harbour, but still better than most beaches on most other islands. Here it barely rates a mention but still forms a perfect vista as one looks across from Nikita's terrace to the uninhabited island of Keros, once a thriving centre for the Cycladic civilisation, long extinct. During the day one can ogle shapely bathers or simply relax and drink in the view, while at night depending on the quantity of moonlight available one sees a little, or a lot.

This is a 'one of a kind' place, a rarity, a bit of a gem with its own individual character and, as such, it will not appeal to everyone even though the drink and food (limited) on offer will cover most needs. The music, which I adore despite never having heard most of it before, is not 'popular'; this is not the place to hear today's pop hits or greek music of any kind. Rather, it is eclectic, sometimes jazzy, unusual, stimulating and relaxing at the same time for an old music buff like me. The lack of familiarity I find appealing rather than off-putting because the quality is so amazing.

The key to the place, other than its unique setting, is the man Nikita. From an old island family, he is a non-conformist individual, a little bundle of energy, solicitous to all if outwardly undemonstrative. In our long acquaintance I have also found him to be a kind friend, considerate and sensitive, with a touching generosity of spirit. As far as his bar goes, he is the consummate host who will look after you perfectly, but you will always be aware you are in his space.

I truly adore his little establishment. Due to my well publicised, to my faithful reader anyway, problems over the last few years I had not been to either Koufonissi or Nikita's bar for seven years and I realised on coming back that, for me, there is no substitute. It is one of my special, magical places where I can withdraw to sit and contemplate life, to relax, to heal; drink plays only a small part in this, though you can drink exceedingly well here if your taste is for beers and all sorts of spirits. This is not the place for great adventures in wine, alas for me, as the clientele for that sort of thing is sorely lacking among the visitors to the island.

It isn't perfect, I know, but it is my kind of place - please let me know if you know it, or of it. Whatever you do, though, don't spoil it.

Who's a lucky little boy?

In the interests of veracity I would like to point out that I am neither little, in any sense of the word, nor a boy; rather, I am a sizeable middle-aged or older, depending on your definition, man. It was felt, however, that 'Who's a lucky fat old bloke?' made for a rather unattractive title, possibly off-putting even to a reader as dedicated as mine, so poetic licence intervened and the rest is ... well, as you see it! But on with the story.

Not that long ago a friend  (someone I met in the last couple of years through an old friend) issued a casual invitation to Sunday lunch at her flat in a western part of Athens. As for various practical and personal reasons I was still knocking about the general vicinity of Athens I chose to graciously accept, and earlier today made my way there together with three other invitees. Having heard that the host was a pretty good cook I was quietly looking forward to a pleasant, light lunch.

Well, I was blown away, both by the quality and the quantity of the dishes available, all tweaked and improved versions of traditional recipes, namely:

- A superb, crisp seasonal green salad, delicately seasoned
- A cheese pie made with 7 cheeses in homemade wholemeal pastry
- Roast Naxos goat with potatoes
- Beef cooked in a rich tomato sauce

Everything was properly and beautifully prepared and was set upon by the hungry hordes - there were seven of us, perhaps to match the cheese selection in the cheese pie! Our attack was characterised by controlled energy and we refused to stop until fully sated, groans of satisfaction being echoing around the table as, one after the other, we were defeated by the mounds of tasty nosh. To wash everything down we were provided with organic white and red greek wines (from the Manolakis winery near Corinth and Nemea) that were clean, honest, juicy and went well with the food; they were not - and were not intended as - show stoppers but were great gluggers and a match for the strong tastes of the food. In my role as your chief taster I felt obligated to try both, repeatedly, and enjoyed their vibrant fruit and lively taste!

It gives me great pleasure to also report that the company lived up to the food and drink, so that the afternoon was a great success. Alas the quantities ingested by yours truly, purely as research on behalf of my reader, mean that I am now unable to face eating anything further tonight. But, in the immortal words of someone or other - write in if you know the answer - ' Tomorrow IS Another Day!- and I can resume my selfless dedication on your behalf then, like the little boy that I am.

Belief yes, but in what?

Depending on which part of the world - our world, planet Earth, to be precise - we were born and are living we are surrounded by different beliefs identified as religions. They all, in their various ways, attempt to address our questions about the purpose of life and how it should be lived,  at the same time providing a story of sorts as a background to this, a justification of their positions. Are they all right? Is there so much divine influence in our lives?

Alas most religions seem to put themselves forward as being 'the one true religion', their deity (or deities) being the ones governing the world. Some make even more specific claims for themselves, claims that their adherents find entirely convincing and those of 'competing' faiths ludicrous. So which one is right? How can a person of average (or less!) education and/or intelligence evaluate the various competing religions - the information is widely available, after all, in our connected modern world - and be able to choose the 'one true religion' or are they all correct? Is oldest best, or is there a latest that automatically supersedes the older, 'outdated' ones?

There is a strange convention in our modern western world, namely that one is considered an atheist - and is often disapproved of - if one does not believe in judaism/christianity/islam. For some strange reason this seems not to apply either to any of the other religions which hold sway elsewhere, nor to all the others that have come before and are now practically extinct. Why is this? Why is not believing in Thor or Osiris or, closer to home for me, Zeus and his lot acceptable and not considered atheism? Did they not in their time advocate that they were the true gods, much as the Middle Eastern variants do now?

The questions are many and the convincing, conclusive answers for general guidance few. Truth, it seems, is what we choose to believe, as far as the various competing religions go. How do we make that choice? And we base our decisions on what? Personally I am left with the questions - as the available answers I find unsatisfactory - and the feeling that asking these questions is the right way to go.

Blind faith is not for me; rather, I need real answers and, as long as they are not forthcoming, I will keep questioning, thinking, looking. This questioning, thinking, looking is what, indeed, keeps me alive.

We are reluctant eco-warriors

We are all watching our environment suffer from the excesses of our 'civilisation', yet few of us are actually prepared to go even a little bit out of our way to help. Why is that? What is it that makes us so reluctant to modify our behaviour in order to protect the environment, therefore our world, therefore ourselves and the future?

Some of us simply do not believe there is any real problem as we do not see mountains of plastic in front of our eyes and because the full horrors of landfill sites are hidden away, buried out of sight.

Some of us just can't be bothered - the 'why do I have to be the one to save the world?' brigade - always believing it's anybody's job but theirs to help.

Then you have the suspicious ones - the 'do you REALLY believe that the stuff goes to recycling?' - mob, who may have a point in certain areas but still... Recycling is a fact, it's happening now and it works, most of the time anyway; it is neither perfect nor the complete solution, however, for the mountains of materials used.

But the biggest problem is from those of us who are just not prepared to be inconvenienced in any way, shape or form, to the point that we are unwilling to even contemplate reducing our consumption of plastics if this means having to change personal habits.

Yet we are assailed these days, pretty well constantly, by images of the problems caused by our careless handling of waste, especially plastic; how is it possible that these images do not make us stop to think? Pristine beaches the world over are now full of bits of plastic, large and small, usually sea-borne debris. Only a few days ago I was visiting a lovely beach on a Greek island, remote and beautiful, and ended up spending a large part of my time picking plastic out of the sea. To most people there I'm sure I appeared to be an eccentric - if not downright stupid - older person, not someone who was doing his bit for the good of our planet.

Now I must admit that I have not always been as prepared to act on this as I am now, despite my deeply held environmental concerns; somehow I managed to disconnect the problem from the need for action. Along those lines I once commissioned a packaging range for my then company's products that was to my mind extremely practical, solving certain retail problems and allowing the consumer to examine the product without opening the package. Unfortunately the packaging in order to be see-through - was largely made of plastic - recyclable, possibly, but... - and so not really environmentally friendly. Yet as an 'efficient' businessman I thought I was being clever...

I am no longer reluctant in my environmental concern; rather, I am a sort of mildly militant eco-warrior bloke, trying to be responsible and berating my friends and all others who are being lazy and careless. May I humbly suggest that you could - and should - be that way too? Our planet will be grateful, I promise you, even if the idiots snigger or complain.