We recently held a five-day Food & Photography retreat on the picturesque island of Ikaria, bringing together a group of creative and inspiring women including Olia Hercules, Stephanie Stamatis and Lean Timms.

Our goal was to uncover the secrets of Icarians’ longevity by delving deeper into the island’s rich traditions, joyful lifestyle and cuisine, combining the art of culinary exploration with the beauty of photographic storytelling.

From the moment participants stepped off the plane, they could feel the unique energy and magic of Ikaria, an island known for its large number of centenarians who live lives free from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and dementia.

Over the course of five days, participants took part in numerous activities that focused on the island’s vibrant culture and natural beauty.

They foraged for wild herbs, cooked and enjoyed delicious Icarian dishes made from fresh seasonal produce, and attended workshops on food and travel styling and photography led by Lean Timms and Stephanie Stamatis.

In these sessions, participants were guided through the creation of a series of images from start to finish, creating magical storytelling moments.

A highlight of the retreat was a visit to Afianes Winery, where participants enjoyed wine tasting and learned about natural winemaking using indigenous grape varieties. The group also enjoyed the lively atmosphere of a traditional Paniyiri, an important festival in Ikarian life that builds on community connections.

Paniyiria are much more than just nights of dancing and eating; they are times of spiritual connection and celebration with family and friends, which for many represent the true essence of Icarian longevity.

My first experience with Ikarias Paniyiria will always stay with me. The feeling of joy, community and connection here is indescribable and can only be truly experienced.

IKARIA, A PARADISE OF THE BLUE ZONE

This beautiful Greek island in the Aegean Sea is named after Icarus, the mythological figure who fell into the surrounding sea when his wax wings melted in the sun. With a population of just under 8,500, it is a nature lover’s paradise, surrounded by crystal blue waters and lush hiking trails leading to villages nestled along the mountainous coast.

Ikaria’s cuisine has been preserved like the landscape. It reflects the typical eating habits of Greece and Italy in the early 1960s, but like many of the island’s traditions and ways of life, it has not changed. Ikaria is a prime example of the Mediterranean diet in the holistic sense: pure and honest food enjoyed in community.

Today, most Icarians continue to grow their own vegetables, fruits and herbs. Many even have their own goats, which provide milk for making yogurt and cheese for the household. The goats graze on the island’s mountains: lush greenery and a rocky landscape, all surrounded by the sea. These are the things that make the difference. Wild herbs are gathered for food, but they are also traditionally used as medicinal remedies, based on oral tradition. Sage, mint, dandelion, rosemary, pennyroyal and chamomile are harvested seasonally, dried and used in hot and cold teas, something with a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of the exquisite local thyme honey.

The Icarians are skilled fishermen and many families catch their own seafood. Those who don’t always know a local fisherman from whom they can get fresh seafood and most of us would agree that there are few things that compare to freshly caught seafood cooked and enjoyed with a glass of the local wine while looking out over the sea.

The Blue Zones are a small number of geographic areas where people live exceptionally long lives and the rate of chronic diseases is significantly lower. The term originated from research by Dr. Poulain and Dr. Pes. When studying these areas, they drew blue circles around them on a map and called them “Blue Zones.”

Dan Buettner helped popularize the idea of ​​Blue Zones, first with his cover story “Secrets of Long Life” for National Geographic in 2005. Since then, the trio has worked together to study how people live in these areas and what contributes to their longevity.

Ikaria is one of five Blue Zones. The others are Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, Loma Linda in California and the isolated Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Although these areas are geographically distant from each other and diverse in culture and beliefs, they have one thing in common: they are committed to a plant-based diet based on legumes, daily exercise and a strong sense of community.

COOK LIKE A LOCAL

Urania’s Soufico from the IKARIA cookbook

Soufico is one of the most famous dishes of Ikaria and was traditionally cooked every Saturday, the day when the ovens were on for the weekly bread baking. Leftovers were used for omelettes or served with sausages as another good option.

The word soufico comes from a word in the local dialect: soufika means “I left you something”. The story is about a woman who was asked by her husband: “What are we eating today?” She goes to the garden, collects vegetables, puts them in her apron and goes to the kitchen to prepare a simple dish. Once it is ready, she replies: soufica: “I left you something.”

Urania describes how her grandmother made this dish and she tells me that this is her original version. Urania’s grandmother cut all the vegetables into pieces and fried them one by one. Her secret was the caramelized onions, which made the dish even more delicious. Some people prefer to bake the vegetables instead of frying them individually, which makes the dish lighter and a little easier too.

Ingredients

3 eggplants, cut into small cubes

5-6 peppers, cut into small pieces or cut into julienne strips

1 ½ kilo onions, diced

2 zucchini, sliced

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 garlic clove

2 large tomatoes, grated

3 – 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

100 ml olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Proceedings

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.

2. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook over low heat for about 10-12 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden brown, making sure to stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning.

3. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4. Add the peppers to the frying pan and add another tablespoon of olive oil if necessary.

5. Cook the peppers over medium heat until they are slightly softened but not cooked through. Then add the zucchini, eggplant and potatoes one at a time until they are soft and starting to turn a golden color.

6. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate the tomato flesh, skin side down, into a large bowl. Once you have grated all the tomatoes, add 1 teaspoon of sugar.

to maximize the flavor, and a pinch of salt and the garlic clove. Let the tomato mixture rest for a few minutes to

flavors.

7. Start by layering the prepared vegetables in a large baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish and layer half of the potatoes on top, followed by half of the zucchini, eggplant and bell pepper. Be sure to season with some salt, pepper and dried oregano between layers. Repeat until all the vegetables are done.

8. Pour the tomato mixture over the vegetables, covering them completely, and cover the baking dish. If you are using a baking dish, cover it with the lid, but you can also use foil.

9 Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic clove. Return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked.

10. Remove from the oven and scatter the basil leaves on top. Allow to cool and serve at room temperature.