Ikaria

The remote and lush island of Ikaria in the northeastern Aegean is home to one of the longest-living populations on the planet, making it a "blue zone." Much of this has been attributed to Ikaria's stress-free lifestyle and Mediterranean diet--daily naps, frequent sex, a little fish and meat, free-flowing wine, mindless exercise like walking and gardening, hyper-local food, strong friendships, and a deep-rooted disregard for the clock. No one knows the Ikarian lifestyle better than Chef Diane Kochilas, who has spent much of her life on the island. Part cookbook, part travelogue, Kochilas's Ikaria is an introduction to the food-as-life philosophy and a culinary journey through luscious recipes, gorgeous photography, and captivating stories from locals. Capturing the true spirit of the island, Kochilas explains the importance of shared food, the health benefits of raw and cooked salads, the bean dishes that are passed down through generations, the greens and herbal teas that are used in the kitchen and in the teapot as "medicine," and the nutritional wisdom inherent in the ingredients and recipes that have kept Ikarians healthy for so long. Ikaria is more than a cookbook. It's a portrait of the people who have achieved what so many of us yearn for: a fuller, more meaningful and joyful life, lived simply and nourished on real, delicious, seasonal foods that you can access anywhere.

A collection of recipes and stories from the Mediterranean island of longevity. In the northern Aegean Sea lies the Greek island of Ikaria, where blue Mediterranean waters lap against a mountainous coastline and rocky trails lead to quaint villages, and where the locals seem to hold a secret. Ikaria is known worldwide for its incredibly high life expectancies and low rates of chronic disease, much of which can be attributed to diet. Born to Greek parents, Meni Valle has always been fascinated by her family's traditions of cooking and eating. In Ikaria, Meni collects traditional recipes from across the island that encapsulate the best of Mediterranean food: vegetables, beans, whole grains, small amounts of meat and fish, a couple of glasses of wine, and plenty of olive oil. But she also tells the stories that make up Ikaria, where life is all about taking time: time to cook, to eat, to nap, to spend with family and friends, to enjoy and to appreciate. With intimate glimpses of the island's festivals, markets, kitchens and people, Ikaria is a cookbook that will transport and transform you.

Diane Kochilas' new cookbook that brings the plant-based cuisine of Ikaria to your dinner table. Ikaria is an island in Greece where people live to a ripe old age, sometimes living well past 100. Diane Kochilas, host of the television series My Greek Table, is a daughter of Ikaria. The Ikaria Way is her latest cookbook and is filled with easy, contemporary recipes rooted in her background and steeped in the ancient Greek traditions of plant-based cuisine. As Diane says, Greeks are almost vegan, but they’d never call themselves that. The array of plant-based dishes in the Greek diet is unsurpassed anywhere else in the Mediterranean. Diane’s pantry, and the one she suggests for readers, is culled from the traditions of the Mediterranean and is full of ingredients that have long given food its flavor: herbs, olive oil, nuts, and more. The recipes in The Ikaria Way are simple, almost entirely plant-based, prepared with real food and almost nothing processed, save for the occasional can of tomatoes. Readers will love meze like smoked eggplant with tahini and walnuts or baked chickpeas and pumpkin patties. There are wonderful salads combining strawberries and asparagus and robust mains like white bean stew with eggplant. The Ikaria Way brings the healthy-eating recipes of an ancient island to readers everywhere. It is destined to take its place alongside Diane’s other books on the shelves of all good home cooks who want healthy eating and robust, delicious flavors on the same plate.

Three years ago, Spiri Tsintziras found herself mentally, physically and spiritually depleted. She was stretched thin – raising kids, running a household and managing a business. She ate too much in order to keep going and then slumped in front of the telly at night, exhausted, asking herself ‘What is it all for?’ Spiri’s quest for a healthier, more nourishing life took her from her suburban home in Melbourne to her family’s homeland of Greece, and to the small Greek island of Ikaria. The people of Ikaria – part of the famous ‘Blue Zones’ – live happy, healthy and long lives. Inspired by their example, Spiri made some simple lifestyle changes and as a result lost weight, gained energy and deepened the connection to those closest to her. Best of all, she didn’t have to give up bread or wine! Spiri’s heartwarming memoir, which includes delicious family recipes, will console and entertain anyone bogged down in the daily grind – encouraging you to put your health and happiness first. ‘My Ikaria is a kindly wake-up call to live a more mindful, meaningful and generous life – a joy to read.’ —Alice Pung ‘I applaud Spiri for sharing her fascinating and insightful journey to better health through My Ikaria. As our lives become increasingly busy and fast-paced, we can all learn valuable lessons from the Ikarians, who show us it’s not about striving to live longer but to live better.’ —Jerril Rechter, VicHealth CEO ‘Tsintziras gives an engaging account of her Ikarian journey, practically and philosophically, saying “they’ve reached across the seas and inspired me to live better”. This charming memoir may inspire you to live better too.’ —SAWeekend

A middle aged piano tuner finds herself smitten with her young Greek language instructer. She decides that a trip to Greece is just the thing she needs, not realizing that her true passion will wind up being for the country itself. She returns to Greece several times and enjoys a variety of intense experiences becoming much more than a tourist.

A Scotsman Travel Book of the Year: A Welsh family’s story of running off to a lush Greek island in the 1970s, and the new life they found there. Leaving their Welsh hill farm behind, Nick Perry and his family arrive on the little-known island of Ikaria in 1978, having impulsively boarded the first ferry leaving Athens. Escape to Ikaria tells the story of how they become involved with the islanders and their way of life. Nick tries his hand at anything to get by: night fishing out in the Aegean, unloading the potato boats from Samos, mixing cement for wayward house-builder Datsun Jim, and tending the gardens of the old monastery where a solitary nun, Sister Ulita, controls the village’s water supply. Vivid and moving, this memoir is “a tale of risking all to pursue a dream . . . The story is told with disarming aplomb, packed with characters and incidents, and exhibiting much that is good in human nature” (Scotsman).

This concise and detailed guidebook to Ikaria Island (Greece) offers inside advice on how to visit and explore Ikaria. It provides a brief history, cultural notes, nature descriptions, tips on transportation, restaurants, food, hotels, beaches, villages, attractions and festivals. Ten selected walking routes, from easy to difficult, are showcased with maps, route lengths, elevation changes and nature descriptions. Ikaria's rich biodiversity, mountainous terrain, beaches, hot springs, flora and fauna are also highlighted. Contains 10 original maps and over 100 full color photos.