Souvlaki Al Fresco in Keramikos

While working our way through a few of Keramikos’s side streets, we spy a street vendor grilling up souvlaki. The neighborhood’s low rents and old-time Athens feel have lured creative young Athenians to the area, but Keramikos is still home to traditional establishments and humble street vendors. It’s a place where old and new, tradition and forward-looking creativity, all coexist happily together.

Sunny Citrus in Keramikos

On the day of the weekly street market, Keramikos comes alive in a riot of sights, smells and flavors. We stroll through the open-air market on our Keramikos Calling walk, tasting what’s on offer from the vendors and getting a sense of the seasonality of Greek produce. Recently we spied these fragrant lemons, which provide a pop of color in the winter months.

Spoon Sweets in Keramikos

On our Keramikos walk, we got a taste of some delicious spoon sweets. These fruit preserves differ from jam and marmalade mainly in terms of texture – the ingredient being preserved should be firm and in a thick, transparent syrup, unlike the soft and pulpy texture of jam and marmalade.

Grilling to His Own Beat in Downtown Athens

While on our Downtown Athens walk, we spied a grill master preparing his souvlaki on a hot griddle rather than on the customary charcoal fire – as we learned, this style of cooking has enraged many a purist over the years. Yet the result is still juicy and exceptionally filling, so we’re not complaining.

A Coffee in the Sand

Usually Greek coffee is prepared in a special tiny aluminum or copper pot called a briki over low heat on a stovetop. But on our walk in Keramikos, we spied a briki nestled in a bed of hot sand, another way of heating the drink. Some say that the slowness of this cooking method lends itself to a smoother, more flavorful Greek coffee.