2 July – “Stories from the olive groves of Gera”
11:00 Open Market, SCE Modousa premises, Papados, Gera
An open market will introduce to the public, local products with taste-testings and treats prepared from local associations. Meanwhile, discussions and small themed talks by producers and food experts will enhance the identity of local products.
19:30 Lesvos Food Fest opening event, SCE Modousa premises, Papados, Gera
Along with local producers and entrepreneurs from Gera and Plomari, we will narrate stories of industrial buildings, focusing on olive presses, their people and the production of olive oil, known as the “yellow gold”. Tastings, meze treats, product stands, live-cooking and mixology with innovative ingredients, will highlight the essence of olive oil and ouzo in a modern gastronomic fete.
Special guests: Kostas Stoforos (children’s literature) and Eleana Chatzaki (narration).
22:00 Traditional Music Band Live, SCE Modousa premises, Papados, Gera
3 July – “In Skala Polihnitos with ouzo from Lesvos and mezes from the Gulf of Kalloni”
19:30 The Harbour of Skala Polihnitos
In Polihnitos, where the saltiness of the Gulf of Kalloni meets the aromas of the famous anise, we will be introduced to the local gastronomy, recipes and ouzo culture. The Educational Association of Polihnitos, chef Charis Katrakazas and Prof. Charilaos Theodorellis along with entrepreneurs have organized an evening event with live cooking, meze tasting, local product presentations and lots of music and dance with the cooperation of the Musical-Dance Association “Balos”, The “Friends of Music from Polihnitos Association”, the Athletic Association of Polihnitos and the Cavalry Association of Polihnitos.
21:00 Ouzo night with Local music and Dances at the harbour of Skala Polihnitos
4 July – “The “Cheese paths” of Mantamados”
We will make a journey from the past to present times, where tradition meets contemporary methods of cheese production. The Mantamados Association “Iliachtida” invites us to attend workshops, cooking activities and guided tours presenting local cheese products such as fresh mitzithra, the popular feta cheese, the authentic “ladotyri” and the sweet or spicy gruyere.
10:30 Guided tour to cheese production premises
We will visit the local cheese production units “Mystakellis”, “Koutsambasis”, “Adali” and the “Agricultural Association of Mantamados” and learn about cheese production processes and the differences between the types of cheese produced on the island of Lesvos. On the spot presentations and cheese tasting will establish the high quality of Mantamados dairy products.
11:30 Cheese making workshop for children, Mantamados Square
Along with cheese making on the main square of Mantamados, the “junior cheese producers” will learn about healthy diet and the necessity of using pure raw materials in our everyday life.
19:30 “Cheese paths of Mantamados” Mantamados Cultural Center
Our evening begins with cheese taste-testing and theatrical narrations related to agricultural production in Mantamados, followed by a live cheese making workshop. Live cooking of traditional recipes, using modern-day gastronomic cooking standards, will be presented by local women and chef Kostis Kostakis.
21:30 Mantamados Square
Enjoy local meze, ouzo, music and dance on the main square of Mantamados
5 July – “Sweet spoon treats in Petra”
10:00 Cooking workshops for children, St. Nicolas Church, Petra
Sweet” cooking workshops will teach junior chefs traditional recipes taking inspiration from local products such as “anthotyro”. Young chefs will make gkiouzlemedes pies and will learn how to roll the gkiouzleme daugh. The workshop also includes educational activities concerning food recycling.
19:30 Iroon Square, Petra
A sweet invitation to a “spoon sweet” workshop. Our starting point will be Iroou Square, where the women of Petra will present seasonal spoon sweet recipes served the old-fashioned way, narrating stories of past eras. The event will be hosted by the members of the Petra Cultural Association in a traditional Manor House and at Niki Eleftheriadi courtyard. The sweet ending of the day will include live cooking with famous chef Alexandros Papandreou, who will prepare “Halvas Kouktsatos” with the locals.
6 July – “Street Food in Molyvos”
19:30 “Μichail Goutos” Str., Molyvos
Local sweet and savory recipes will be presented “street style” along with product taste-testings and presentations, live cooking events, workshops and lots of street food ideas. Grab your serving pack and walk along the product stands, cooking stations and finger-food buffets cooked by local women, restaurants and producers, specially prepared to highlight the local gastronomy. The street food is free of charge and will be followed by gigs and street dancing.
Events taking place in Molyvos are organised by the Molyvos Tourism Association in cooperation with the Molyvos Wine and Dine Association of Restaurants and Associate Professionals.
Special guests: chef Alexandros Papandreou and food stylist and photographer Panagiotis Beltzinitis, who will present alternative ways of food presentation.
21:30 Live music by Vasiliki Papageorgiou inspired by the “Aegean Sea Colours”
7 July – “As sweet as caramel”
The Eressos Tourism Association presents a toffee caramel workshop combining traditional methods and innovative recipes, with a perfect integration into modern cuisine. The local Cultural Association “Fanias” revives “kantrilies”, with live dance classes, musically leading us to Skala Eressos Beach for the 3rd Lesvos Food Fest farewell party.
People from Eressos have always loved dancing, singing and eating quality food. Throughout the ages they have travelled or immigrated to other countries and have brought lots of new ideas back home to be acculturated and adjusted to the local cuisine and entertainment habits. This is how “Dulce de leche” travelled all the way from Argentina and became the traditional toffee caramel using local sheep milk, as well as how the “kantrilies” (a fox anglais dance which came to Eressos during the interwar period from Western Europe) became a part of the Eressian entertainment scene, where people danced and flirted to the tune “As sweet as caramel”, a song inspired by the making of caramel.
11:00 Cooking on a floating platform on Papanikoli Square, Skala Eressos
Prominent Chef Manolis Papoutsakis will present innovative recipes integrating toffee caramel into modern cuisine.
18:00 Toffee Caramel workshop in Ms. Fanis’ courtyard in Skala Eressos
An Eressian housewife will present how to make toffee-caramel the traditional way.
*Follow the signs from Papanikoli Square to Fanis’ house.
19:30 – “Kantrilies” dance workshop on Papanikoli Square, Skala Eressos
The farewell party will start dancing to “Kantrilies” tunes from past eras.
20:30 – Music, singing, dance, mezes and ouzo will be the ingredients of the 3rd Lesvos Food Fest farewell party on the sandy beach of Skala Eressos.
Other Lesvos Food Fest activities
Open Market
1/7 -19:30 Open Market and Taste-Testings of local products, fingerfood prepared from local Associations and pre-festival party, SCE Modousa premises, Papados Geras
Dancing lessons “Kantrilies”
4-7 July – 19:30 Papanikoli Square, Skala Eressos
Children’s Cooking workshops
- 2/7 – 19:30 “A box of Sea” by Kostas Stoforos (children’s literature)
- 3/7 – 10:00 Children’s cooking, Lefkonikos Square, Molyvos
- 4/7 – 11:30 Children’s cheese making workshop, Mantamados Square
- 5/7 – 10:00 Children’s cooking workshop with chef Kostis Kostakis, St. Nikolaos Church, Petra
- 6/7 – 11:00 Children’s cooking workshop with chef Manolis Papoutsakis, Papanikoli Square, Skala Eressou
Ouzo and Meze Menus availiable at restaurants and tavernas in Skala Polihnitou and Skala Eressou
Eressian style breakfast available at cooperating companies in the area of Eressos
