On Crete, Food Is Medicine

It was the hottest hour of the day, in central Crete’s mountain village of Charaso, when I interrupted Agelos in the middle of his cooking. The sounds of roosters crowing and cicadas buzzing filled the stone patio as his dolmadakia, Greek-style stuffed grape leaves, tomatoes, and squash blossoms—the same kind my yia yia taught me how to hand wrap when I was a child—simmered in a heavy clay pot over an open fire. After two hours at the farm and several plates of food (olives and tirozouli cheese slathered on hearty carob bread, an onion-y roast pork sourced from the pen of muddy pigs about 100 yards away, and a gorgeous Greek salad), I knew I had to depart soon for the good of my driver, who was waiting in the heat. Little did I know, we hadn’t even started the main course yet. Agelos Mpougias, who manages and cooks at Peskesi Organic & Regenerative Farm, shares the region's culinary traditions with visitors. Crete is one of our Best Places to Eat in 2026. “When you are in Kreta, we’re going to feed you,” Agelos said, shaking his head and plating more food without looking up at me. He spooned my final dish—imam, a meltingly tender eggplant and lamb braise—from anot