Agritourism cooking class & lunch in Arcadia

Duration

6 hours

Group size

Up to 7 people

Type

Cooking local

Language

English - US, Greek

Mama's Flavours

Hello everyone! I am Maria Monastirioti, I am Greek and I welcome you to my beautiful country, Greece! I come from Lefkada and Corfu, two of the most beautiful islands in the Ionian Sea but since 2006 I have been living with my family in Kalamata city in Messinia region in the wonderful mainland of Peloponnese.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Librarianship and Information Systems and after graduating, I had the chance to work as a librarian in several kinds of libraries where I got very much experienced. But since 2014, I have been working on Mama’s flavours, a Social Cooperative Enterprise specialized in the authentic travel experience and the Greek gastronomy tourism.

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The Experience

Local gastronomy meets history and the rich cultural heritage of Arcadia region!

A 6-hour gastronomic experience that includes a tour of the agrotourism unit, the traditional food preparation area, the cookware museum and the village. Experience the best that Greek nature has to offer, learn some of the secrets of the Greek cuisine and feast on traditional local products in an amazing agrotourism unit.

Where

You will visit an Agrotourism unit and an Arcadian workshop in a small village, located 70km (45 mi) from Kalamata in the heart of mountainous Arcadia region in Peloponnese.

The workshop produces traditional products and is inspired by the Arcadian nature. Built on 2.5 acres of land, the place offers stunning views towards Mt. Lykaio and the village of Karytaina.

The two-storey stone-built establishment also houses a library with over 650 cookbooks, where you can discover age-old local recipes; a Cookware Museum, showcasing items used by Greek housewives in villages as far back as the beginning of the 1900s; and a restaurant that serves local delicacies.

When

All-year round, Monday - Sunday excluding official holidays.
March to October for veggie picking.

Your Itinerary

The Culinary and Cultural experience

Join us for a 6-hour tour of the Agrotourism unit and the Arcadian workshop.

Part 1: Tour in the fields and Veggie Picking

You’ll get to enjoy a tour in the fields, pick fresh veggies from the garden and feel closer to nature than ever (available from March to October). And if you visit it in June, you can even participate in the wheat harvesting in the wheat fields!

Part 2: Visit of the traditional Workshop

You’ll participate in a guided tour of the Arcadian workshop, including the traditional food preparation area, the Cookware Museum and the library.

Leaf through old cookbooks and view rare 19th century photos in the library. Or take a step back in time and get a taste of village life back in the 1900s in the Museum.

Part 3: Cooking class with a local mum and Bread or pita making

You may also participate in a Greek cooking class with a local cook, and learn how to make kolokythopita (courgette or pumpkin pie), tzatziki, trachanokeftedes (fermented milk pasta balls), rooster with hylopites (egg pasta), glyka tou koutaliou (spoon sweets), marmalades, or other local seasonal food and delights. What could be better than enjoying authentic Mediterranean cuisine prepared by your own two hands?

Experience the amazing aroma of freshly baked bread. You’ll get the chance to make your own embroidered bread from scratch along with the local women and bake it in a traditional wooden fired oven. You can also take it with you! Depending on the season, we can also make a Greek pie instead of bread! Available from March to October.

Part 4: Traditional Local Feast

You'll have lunch at the restaurant, where you will feast on everything you made along with local products from the Arcadian workshop and other Greek local producers. The meal includes appetizers, mains and dessert, accompanied by organic wine (red, white or rose), soft drinks, Greek coffee or tea.

Part 5: Shopping at the gift shop (optional)

You’ll get the chance to find more than 50 local delicacies at the gift shop, including walnut kourabiethes, melomakarona, skaltsounia, pasta, spoon sweets, pine honey, local myzithra cheese, and Greek herbs and spices.

What’s more, you can lock a bit of Greek flavour in your suitcases and take it back home, by selecting any of the amazing products available for sale.

Part 6: Stroll through the Village (if time permits)

Enjoy a stroll through the small cobblestone lanes and immerse yourself in the local culture. Find out the local history of the small village and the humble beginnings of the Arcadian workshop back in 1980.

Tips

To make your visit even more memorable, here are some tips:

Wear comfortable shoes and a hat as you’ll spend quite a bit of time outdoors.
Notify us of any special dietary needs (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, pescaterian, flexitarian, etc).
Notify us of any allergies (e.g. food allergies, allergies to bees, etc.)

Inclusions

All taxes

Greek Cooking class, full local lunch and drinks

Greek local delicacies, visits and activities of the main tour

Local hosts / local chef throughout the experience

Exclusions

Personal purchases from the workshop (optional)

Tips and gratuities (optional)

Transfer services may be provided upon request and at an extra charge

About Kalamata

Forget anything you knew about famous, touristic and crowded travel destinations in Greece:

Kalamata is located in the southernmost point of Greece: Messinia. It is an all year round travel destination and ideal for those who seek deeper connections to communities they visit live behind-scenes experiences at non popular and off-the-beaten-path destinations and enjoy the slow, carefree rhythms of a small city.

From the first time I came to this wonderful city, in 2006, I felt that this was the place for me: I was very impressed of the beauty of this seaside city, the harmonic combination of the rich architectural and cultural legacy with the modern way of life.