The Byzantine breakfast buffet in Monemvasia is offered in front of the main square of the Old Town (known as “Kanoni”). Anna sees the preparation and presentation of the breakfast. She always uses the best local ingredients while many of the dishes are based on traditional recipes that her grandmother has passed to her.
The bread is kneaded at the hotel with whole wheat that is ground at the watermill of Talanta which has recently been renovated (well worth a visit). Many times Anna prepares the local specialty: freshly baked “propyra”, a savory “lagana” (a flat type of bread) served plain or with cheese, olives, or onion.
There are also other types of bread from local traditional bakeries (white, with yeast, “margherita”, bread for toast), home made cookies (orange, cinnamon), rusks (anise or orange), home made cake (orange or apple and raisins) as well as bread sticks (white, multi-grain, corn or rye), cereals, dried fruit (apricots, plums, figs, dates, raisins). Sometimes there is groats with parsley and lemon (savory) or with dried nuts and sugar (“kolyva”).
The breakfast buffet also includes fruit salad, yogurt, boiled eggs or “kagiana” (with tomato), various types of olives, tomato and cucumber, pure honey from local producers, homemade marmalades and spoon sweets, butter in individual portions as well as a platter of cheese and cured meats that includes “feta” cheese, “kasseri” cheese and the local cheeses ‘ladotyri” and “touloumotyri” (from local producers), salami, ham, turkey and “glina”. As for beverages, there is filter coffee, tea, fresh or concentrated milk, mountain tea, and freshly squeezed juice from the famous oranges of Laconia.
Many times, depending on the season, guests can find at the buffet some of the following sweet or savory delicacies which alternate every day so that guests can try as many as they can during their stay: home made pie (cheese pie, chicken pie or pie with wild herbs), ‘ryzogalo” (rice pudding), apple pie, sweet “trahanas” soup, “broustoula” (sweet pie with “trahanas”), “petaritses” (local “tiganites”) with honey or cheese, “dakos” rusk, humus, fava bean paste with olives, sun dried tomatoes and oregano, zucchini and “anthotyro” cheese tart, sweet pumpkin pie, roasted apples or pears with sweet sun dried wine and molasses, compote of the season, “avgofetes” with feta cheese and tomato, semolina halva, “loukoumades” (honey puffs), small cakes with olive oil, “feta” cheese, cherry tomatoes, olives and oregano, local sausages, bruschietta with tomato paste and oil, “lalagia”, black eyed bean salad, “moustalevria” made with grape must and “moustokouloura” cookies made with grape must, cherry tomatoes filled with “galotyri” cheese and caper, tuna salad with peppers, walnut and caper, “kaltsounia” with “myzithra” cheese and honey, home made “tsoureki” (sweet bread), home made praline and many other recipes that Anna can create or discover in her grandmother’s drawer.
