Culture Magazine

T R AV E L 202 2 culturecheesemag.com 63 sheep's milk instead of whey, xynomizithra has a pleasant sour taste and is often served by Naxos chefs as a feta substitute in salads. Xynotiro is aged xynomizithra; with its stronger flavor and hard, flaky texture it's most often grated over a dish of pasta or a casserole. It's the cheese Iouliani Polykretis—a yiayia, or grandmother, chef extraordinaire who cooked with Anthony Bourdain in 2015, and who offers cooking classes at the small organic farm she owns with her husband Stathis—uses to sprinkle over kayiana, a Peloponnese dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. I've been invited to cook with Polykretis, and because I'm on the island to explore all things curd, she's planned the menu accordingly—the first dish we will be making is saganaki. A popular Greek meze (appetizer), saganaki is pan-seared cheese usually made by drenching the cheese in flour and then frying it in olive oil until tender on the inside but crispy and golden on the outside. Different kinds of cheese can be used for saganaki, but Iouliani has chosen Graviera Naxou—another Naxian cheese and one of the three Greek Gravieras with PDO certification. Often thought of as Greece's Gruyère, Graviera is a yellow table cheese that's popular with cheesemakers throughout the country, though its contents—and therefore its taste—vary from region to region. Graviera Naxou contains about 80 percent cow's milk and 20 percent sheep's and/or goat's milk and is admired for its mild, buttery taste; Some shop owners say it's a bestseller among tourists. The Graviera Polykretis is frying is made by Nikolas Pittaras, a family friend and another local cheesemaker. Most at home when he talks about his cheese and the cows that produce it, Nikolas took over the family's dairy production from his father who started it in 1970—the year Nikolas was born—with just one cow. It was Nikolas who, after 38 years of producing milk and selling it to another cheesemaker, steered the family business into cheese production in 2008. "I wanted to make the whole circle of production myself," he explains. The circle he refers to begins with the feed—to ensure his 200 dairy cows get non-GMO feed, Pittaras grows and produces his own—and ends in labeling, packaging, and selling the cheese. "Every part of this work is part of my soul," he says. He isn't the only Naxian cheesemaker to express that sentiment. Continuing the island's long history of making cheese—a history that might have begun with the Cyclops, the Aristaeus, or both—Naxos cheesemakers pay homage to the traditions and identity that have thrived there for centuries. c Where to eat and stay on Naxos For a couple's trip, check into Naxian on the Beach, a 10-suite boutique hotel located only a few steps away from a quieter section of the island's famous Plaka Beach. With its views of the Aegean, its proximity to the sea, and its own comfortable sun beds, this small refuge away from crowds offers suites that feature an indoor or outdoor jacuzzi. To see what a Greek salad tastes like with Naxian xynomizithra instead of feta, order it at the beach bar/restaurant Tortuga. NAXIANONTHEBEACH.COM If you are traveling as a family, consider staying at Naxian's sister hotel, the Naxian Collection. Less than a five-minute drive to the beach and built in the traditional Cycladic style, the hotel is a collection of suites and villas with fully equipped kitchens and private or semi-private pools for late-evening swims. HOTEL.NAXIANCOLLECTION.COM For excellent fresh fish, taverna-style dishes, and a plate of local chees- es, try Paradiso, the taverna known to locals and visitors alike since 1978. Take a table on the beach under the canopy of a large tree (no shoes necessary), and be sure to try one of their desserts, conceived and created by Evdokia, the owner's wife. PARADISONAXOS.GR In town go to Meze2—where saganaki is topped with citron spoon sweets, a fruit preserve made from citron rinds. While there, also try a cocktail with citron liquor produced on the island, and a potato salad made with Naxos potatoes, considered one of Greece's best. MEZE-MEZE.NAXOSFOOD.GR If visiting Naxos traditional settlements, stop in Apeiranthos, one of the villages established by the Cretans, and order loukoumades— Greek donuts served with honey—in Samarathiko, a local café with a terrace that offers sweeping views of the island's mountain range. Chora, the main town on Naxos

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