The essence and philosophy of Cretan cuisine

The essence and philosophy of Cretan cuisine is summarized in the following passage by journalist Nikos Psilakis:

"It's a way of life. It is the philosophy and logic of being. The garden, the oven, the village, the hefatzimo, are mosaics of a great female culture, which was established through the experiences of centuries and expressed through inventive simplicity. In short, it is a creation of necessity. Many times at conferences I am asked what the Cretan diet is. And I always answer: the diet of the poor farmers of Crete. Of course, her diet was by no means poor. It may not have had a material value, but it had a moral value, and this moral value participates in the construction of identities, shapes attitudes. […] Our secret in Crete is the land. The land and its products, the production, the microclimate, this wonderful world, in which we were lucky to be born and live, an island – a whole continent.”