Ikaria, a remote island in the northeastern Aegean, is home to people who enjoy some of the most renowned longevity on earth. The New York Times dubbed it the “island where people forget to die,” in a front-page magazine article a few years ago. Ikaria also happens to be my own ancestral home, and each spring and summer I run a cooking and cultural immersion experience on the island.
Lifestyle, natural exercise and diet all play a role in keeping Ikarians healthy and sound of mind well into their 90s. In this class, we will explore some of the simple but exquisite plant-based dishes that are part of the Ikaria longevity diet, and we’ll make three main-course vegetarian dishes together. I’ll discuss the basics of how Ikarians eat and live, and we’ll look at the role of fresh, seasonal food, olive oil, herbs, greens, and more that make up some of the tasty, uber-healthy meals Ikarians love to share with company.
You will be able to recreate these dishes in your own kitchen, wherever you are, any time of the year.
