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Eating with the seasons
Twenty product ideas with Greek names, four seasonals and questions for market, taverna and fish stall.
A season is an invitation to watch
Cretan cuisine is well understood from vegetables, pulses, fruit, grain and olive oil. Ask the market what comes from the island and what is being delivered this week. A product on a stand does not have to be grown locally.
The windows below are a global culinary guide, no harvest guarantee. Height, rain, variety, greenhouse and storage options change the offer. The same vegetables can be found in more months. Our monthly guide tells us more about the agricultural calendar.
The year in Crete →What could you taste now?
Filter the table by season, or view the whole year. Use the Greek name to designate a product. The court ideas are our own suggestions.
20 product ideas
| Season | Global window | Product · Greek | On the table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | March | Artichoke · αγκινάρα | Scotch dish with lemon |
| Spring | March | Broad beans · κουκί | Stewed, like meze or in a vegetable dish |
| Spring | March | Erwt · αρακάς | With tomato and herbs |
| Spring | March | Strawberry · φράουλα | Fresh with yoghurt |
| Spring | March | Leafy vegetables · χόρτα | Cooked with oil and lemon |
| Summer | June 2008August | Tomato · ντομάτα | Bamboo shoots |
| Summer | June 2008August | Eggplant · μελιτζάνα | Briam or roasted dip |
| Summer | June 2008August | Courgette · κολοκύθι | Oven dish or savoury biscuits |
| Summer | June 2008August | Watermelon · καρπούζι | Cool and in pieces |
| Summer | June 2008August | Fig · σύκο | Fresh; dried later in the season |
| Autumn | September & November | Grape · σταφύλι | Table fruit and the story of the vintage |
| Autumn | September & November | Pomegranate · ρόδι | Pits with salad or yoghurt |
| Autumn | September & November | Pumpkin · κολοκύθα | Oven, soup or savoury cake |
| Autumn | September & November | Olive · ελιά | Harvest and processing; timing differs |
| Autumn | September & November | Mandarin · μανταρίνι | Fruit, continuously heading for winter |
| Winter | December February | Orange · πορτοκάλι | Fresh, juice or peel in a dish |
| Winter | December February | Lemon · λεμόνι | Dressing and stew dishes |
| Winter | December February | • κουνουπίδι | Roast or stoked |
| Winter | December February | Coal · λάχανο | Salad or stuffed leaves |
| Winter | December February | Leafy vegetables · χόρτα | Depending on rain and species |
Fish: demand for today's landings
For fish there is no simple calendar that is right for all species and catch methods. Ask which species it is, where it comes from, whether it is sold fresh or thawed and how the price is calculated. Then choose a preparation. An image or Dutch trade name alone is not sufficient for a precise species determination.
Oil, lemon and a sober preparation can put the taste at the heart of the matter. We promise no fixed catch months for this dossier. In the marine dossier you can read how habitats, sea grass and food chains are linked.
The sea around Crete →Three questions that open the menu
Τι είναι της εποχής; What's the season?
Είναι ντόπιο; Is it local?
Τι μαγειρέψατε σήμεραWhat did you cook today?
Ask one question at a time and give the other time. A dish today can be a better entrance than a long list of expected specialities.
Sources & edition
Editorial edition · 21 October 2026. Commands, menu guides and selection aids are their own effects. For practical data, please refer to the mentioned administrators; check current access and facilities before your visit.