With 300 km of costal line, surrounded and enclosed by three Mediterranean Sea Bays, the quality of the local fish production is a real fact. Around the seven traditional fishing ports, an entire fishing fleet «comes and goes», carrying the freshest fish,
-large or small,
-expensive or price-accessible,
It is truly tasty and healthy.
Indeed, the fish and the seafood of Mount Athos are renowned for their exquisite flavor. The reason they are so different is that the waters are deep and clean, as the area has many sea currents, while there are no organized cultivations to affect it. Thus, the local seafood is caught in very deep waters, with the highest salinity in Greece. The sea waters are also rich in clean food, since no rivers or streams end up, to disturb the balance of the composition.
It is a tuna-like fish, since it belongs to the same family. It is fished every May & June in the Akanthios Gulf (very close to Mount Athos) by local fishermen, who maestrially make it salted, creating the most amazing tsipouro-meze you have ever tasted! It is also served boiled and marinated in olive oil as a delicious fish salad – it’s really magical!
Housekeepers fry or bake it. However you prefer it, you should know that the orkyni fish is the culinary trademark of Ierissos.
For lunch or dinner, head to one of the many fish tavernas in the main village or near a beach and ask for the orkyni fish!
