• Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Messinian Olives

The Messinian olive oil is a natural product produced by the crushing of olives. It is a gift of nature, of great biological value, tasty and wonderful fruity aroma. Today it is believed that olive oil protects the heart, helps in the proper functioning of many organs, acts beneficially against many diseases and its components have a protective and preventive effect on various diseases. In Messinia it is used in abundance, pure and rich in delicious salads with herbs of various kinds. It is used almost exclusively in all cooked food. Olives are prepared in different ways, and each recipe has its own distinct flavour. For example, cracked green olives with lemon and oregano, black Kalamata olives in vinegar, Throumpes Kalamata salty olives are some of the most popular ones. 

• Sfela And Talagani Cheese

The most famous of the finest varieties of cheese produced in Messinia is the sfela cheese. This delectable yellow-white cheese with a brackish taste, much like feta, but with stronger taste is stored in brine. Sfela is prepared in a traditional way, from ewe's or goat's milk or a mixture of these. It is eaten plain (often poured over with a mixture of olive oil and oregano), as a meze with ouzo, raki or beer, but also used in pies or grated on the traditional paksimadi with olive oil and tomato, but also with scrambled eggs in tomato sauce (kagiana). It is very delicious either roasted in the oven or grilled or fried.  Talagani, which is a white local cheese with rich flavour, is mainly produced in Gargaliani. It is similar to the tasty Cypriot halloumi except that it is exclusively produced from goat's milk.

• Siglino Or Pasto, Kagianas And Paksimadi Or Papara

Siglino are salted small pieces of smoked pork flavoured with spices kept in clay pots in its fat, known already from the Byzantine period and the Turkish occupation. Pork is an ingredient that you will meet many times in your way and at local fairs. Kagianas is an omelette with fresh chopped tomatoes and aromatic herbs prepared in olive oil and often served with grated sfela cheese and Siglino. Paksimadi or Papara is dried bread eaten lightly moistened with water, olive oil and sprinkled with chopped tomatoes, crushed sfela cheese and oregano

• Diples, Pasteli And Lalagia

Diples is a traditional pastry, which is found in almost all the Peloponnese.  Lacy, crispy, separate layers of thin pastry fried in olive oil require great art to be made. It is served with honey and grated nuts and it is prepared, in almost all celebrations. According to an old custom diples (swirls) are offered to weddings as a sign of joy. Pasteli, which is famous, traditional nougat with exceptional nutritional properties due to sesame seeds and honey, was already known at the time of Herodotus and even referred to as a sweet tonic. It is extremely rich in vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron. The Lalagia or Lalangides or “Tiganites” as they are called in Mani, are the traditional crackers, never missing from any home, especially during major religious festivals. The Lalangia are plain eaten but they are wonderfully accompanied with cheese. 

• Dried Figs And Prickly Pears

Dried figs of Messinia are one of the most famous natural delights that are totally identified with the region. Delicious, nutritious and healthy, dried figs are naturally dried in the sun with absolutely no chemical additives. They are a source of energy for the human body because of its high content of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and iron and fibre. Prickly pear cactus is the characteristic ornament of the Messinian beautiful landscape that gives each August nutritious and tasty fruit.