My Lovely Crete

[pronounced boo-gha-tsa]

A prized breakfast dish, saved for rare occasions. A hangover treatment, to be eaten before going to bed to soothe the stomach. A staple for everyone who grew up in Hania – or studied here.  Lately, a fashionable desert at the upscale Athens restaurants that serve cretan cuisine and have their bougatsa shipped via airplane twice daily from one of the two artisans that bake it fresh every single morning. And, every summer, the source of endless debate among visitors as to which of the two bougatsas is better.

A treat to be found nowhere else but Hania, Crete, it is made with layers of thin pastry and local mizithra cheese, served sprinkled with sugar. Try it: Sweet and savory at the same time, hot and crispy, delicious and filling, it is a culinary experience not to be missed.

As to which of the two is better? well, you have to try both and cast our vote!