Heading to the dreamy island of Crete? You deserve a big round OPApplause! You’re gonna love it. And so will your stomach! However, before you board the boat, every good Greek lovin’ foodie should know the basic dos and don’ts of the almighty Cretan cuisine. Note: some of these tasty tips are are also applicable for the entire country of Greece, noted with a (*). Low and behold, mateys…

Ready to CrEATe?

Rusk: Crete’s weird, hardened version of bread. It’s kinda’ like a huge brown crouton. They like to put it in salads. But I like it better like this…

Giros. Pronounced “HE-ROS“, don’t be that tourist to pronounce the “g”. This is the best 2.50 euros you will ever spend.*

Freddo: Greek shaken iced coffee, and the local obsession. Did you know that iced coffee was a thing in Greece? ‘Cause I sure didn’t! It’s like a Greek persons third hand in the summer. *

Tzatziki: the famous Greek yogurt cucumber dip that you might already know about. What you don’t know? It SHOULD be eaten as a side to every meal, ’cause it’s just that plate-lickin’ good.*

Raki: The “ouzo” of Crete. You’ll find bottles of these bad boys being sold at little mountain stands, along with other Cretan products like olive oil and jams. Oh…and after every big meal, expect a complimentary shot. PREPARE YO’SELF.

WARNING: You will consumer about 70% more dairy in your daily diet than normal. (Greek yogurt, feta, more greek yogurt, more feta…) You might not poop for a few days. Don’t consult your doc. It’s normal.

So, which Crete food are you going to hunt down first? Have you tried any of these? Which is your fave? But really. Could you ever overload on dairy? ‘CAUSE I CAN’T.