Crete - Rethymno, hand made phyllo.

Rick's taxi to the airport dropped me at the bus station on the way. Funnily we got the same taxi driver that had delivered us to the hotel (of all the taxi drivers in Heraklion...) It was nice having someone else watch the road and I could just look at the scenery as we drove back to Rethymno.

The navy was still here. I have read that there is an increase in tension between Greece and Turkey but I think our naval activity is unrelated. I typed that and then noticed the red flag on this vessel. It is the flag of Turkey. As Rick said"it must be a NATO exercise"

The next day I headed into the old town to find the place that hand makes phyllo pastry. On the way I saw this "fixer upper".

Rick and I had found the shop before but no phyllo was being made and we were told the days and hours to come. When I arrived a young man was stretching the phyllo until it was very thin and covered the entire table.

From reading some newspaper articles on the internet, I believe that this is the owners grandson, who is learning the tradition. Mr Hatziparaschos began his trade in 1946 and opened his workshop in 1958. He is now 89. His wife helped him and then his son and now his grandson.

Then another man came in, I am assuming the owners son. He was more dramatic, putting on a bit of a show.

He took a ball of the dough (flour, water, and oil, according to the video I found on the internet, that was filmed in this store)and spun and stretched it similar to how pizza dough is manipulated.

He then sent it spinning through the air to land like a balloon in the centre of the table which is covered in linen and looks like fine burlap.

Next he walked round and round the table gradually pulling and stretching the dough, which bounced back a little as he moved on,

until it was stretched right over the edges of the table which held it in place and stopped it from bouncing back. Then another layer of linen goes on and the process repeats.

Just before the next piece is full stretched the linen is flipped back and the sheet of phyllo beneath is trimmed to the size of the table.

I stayed to watch two sheets stretched (about 15 minutes). From the video I learned that it is left to dry, between the linen, then dusted with flour, folded, cut to size and rolled and stored in a frig. I felt I should buy something as I had watched "the show" so bought one container of the kataifi which is made with nuts and shredded phyllo.

Meanwhile in Saltzburg, Austria: All photos by Rick. 

Some of Rick's pics arrive with no explanation. I am assuming this was taken on the train ride from Munich to Salzburg. Alps maybe?

Rick hiked up to the fortress (said it was very strenuous) and later found out that there was a funicular that he could have taken. I am assuming this picture was taken from up there.

"I think there was a parade when I was in the Fortezza. There were men dressed up in various military garb from different periods of their history . Some were carrying flags with dates printed on them"

He finally got some good weather.