Some of you might remember we mentioned that Laidak café (Boddinstrasse 42 in Neukolln) serves organic mountain tea as iced tea — the one I bring to Berlin from Mount Parnon. Today I decided to share Laidak’s recipe here so you can make it at home too.
Here you go:
Laidak’s Iced Mountain Tea Recipe
Want to bring a bit of Laidak to your home? Here’s how you can make our iced mountain tea — the same one we serve at the café, made with herbs straight from Mount Parnon.
You’ll need:
A few sprigs of mountain tea (Greek “tsai tou vounou”)
4 cl lemon juice
3–4 cl liquid sugar (the kind used in cocktails)
About 1.5+ liters of water (some will evaporate)
How to make it:
In a pot, bring a bit more than 1.5 liters of water to a boil.
Add the mountain tea sprigs, lemon juice, and liquid sugar.
Let it boil for about 15 minutes, until the water takes on the...
On one of our planned excursions to Mount Parnon on May 1st 2025, we took a road that led us to the village of Polydroso, also known by its old Slavic name, Tzitzina. The village lies in the heart of the mountain, surrounded by lush green fir trees. As we entered the village, we found a beautiful traditional café where we had coffee and brandy, as well as a tavern that, from what we could tell, only operates on weekends. The peace and tranquility offered by this small mountain village was our reward for making the journey of over an hour to get there.
This destination is one of the most ideal in Laconia for those who love the tranquility of the mountains, hiking among the fir trees, and good food. As one ascends the cobblestone alleys of the village, the architectural elegance of the stone houses gradually unfolds, harmoniously integrated with the surrounding natural landscape. The rivers that traverse the...
Dear friends
As many of you already know, I am currently in the southern Peloponnese with the aim of speaking with local farmers. I am looking for new organic products to bring back to Berlin. My search has been successful. However, as I always do, I’d like to ask for your opinion. I’m thinking of importing to Berlin the following:
green olives with or without pits, black olives (Kalamata), plain green olive paste and green olive paste with chili, black olive paste, and local sea salt either plain or blended with herbs. I’m also considering organic tahini and sun-dried tomatoes.
I’m happy to report that the trip has been fruitful! But before making final decisions, I’d love to hear your thoughts — as I always do. Would any of these interest you? Do you have favorites or suggestions? Your feedback (as you know) is always appreciated. I would kindly ask you to send me a personal email with your ideas
I am coming...
Every spring, I always take a walk through our olive grove. The fragrance of the flowers drifts through the air, meeting the footprints of wild creatures wandering leisurely here and there. Truly, spring is the most enchanting season of the year in Laconia — though the serene hush of autumn and the stillness of winter hold their own quiet beauty.
A few kilometers away, across the plain, the orange trees, too, are celebrating the arrival of spring. The scent of their blossoms is simply extraordinary. The mingling aromas of the flowers and the fresh, pure air are reason enough for anyone to visit Laconia in April.
If any of you happen to visit Laconia and find yourselves in need of advice or guidance during your stay, do not hesitate to send me a message.
...
Every year, I bring the best quality organic mountain tea from Mount Parnon. Due to its unique taste and high quality, the demand was particularly high this year. Unfortunately, because of this, it has run out, and the next batch will arrive next summer. However, because I know that many of you use it daily, I decided to bring to Berlin another good organic tea from Mount Olympus sort. You can find it every Saturday at the Schiller market or by emailing me. If you want this tea but you live outside Berlin you could contact me as well.
How do you find the new tea? feedback is always appreciated ...
Dear Friends of Berlin Oil Connection
I wanted to inform you that since last Saturday, the olive oil from my farm, in 750ml and 500ml bottles, is once again available, after being out of stock for a few weeks. This practically means that every Saturday at the Schiller market in Neukölln, along with the organic oil from my friend Dimitris' farm in Gythio, Laconia, you will now also be able to find my olive oil.
In addition to olive oil, you can always find the best quality organic mountain tea, various organic herbs, handmade olive oil soap, as well as other products from locations in the southern Peloponnese.
The Schillermarkt market takes place every Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM, and you can find us there every week....
Dear friends and followers
I want to inform you that the pallet is already ready and has basically started its journey to Berlin - Neukolln. I believe it will arrive by the end of next week or at the beginning of the week after.
Those of you who have already prepaid for a quantity will receive a message from me as soon as possible. Since my storage space is not very large, I would prefer to distribute the canisters as soon as possible.
For those who have not yet placed an order for the 5-liter canisters, there are still a few left. You might still be able to get a small quantity. Please drop me a line here
In any case, if you have any questions, you can send me an email or stop by the Saturday market in Schillerkiez. I’d be happy to see you either way—maybe even over a coffee!...
This is a photo that brings back memories of another era. In fact, it brings it back to life. It depicts a windmill in Geraki, Laconia (a few klm from our farm), where the locals used to take their wheat on horses and donkeys to have it milled into flour. This mill is one of those that exist around the village as well as in the wider area. Some people older than me still remember that time. Behind the windmill, you can see the snow-covered Mount Parnon. You will soon be able to find more short stories from Laconia on my blog: https://berlinoilconnection.de/en/blog/category/blog/.
special thanks to @christinemorenin (instagram) for this picture...
Laconia is a perfect destination for exploration on various levels. Beyond the natural beauty, the beaches, and the beautiful landscapes, food is also a great reason to visit. Laconia produces almost everything, from honey, olive oil, oranges, lemons, luxury wine to all kinds of vegetables. The meat also comes from the region. The oxen in Mani graze freely, as do sheep and other animals throughout the entire region. The fish is always fresh from the Laconian Gulf. I decided to start presenting to you the reasons you should visit Laconia. The first category is a food guide.
In the photos below, you can get a taste of the traditional pies “Pita travichti” from Mani region. In appearance, it closely resembles the famous Hungarian Lángos. It is a delicacy made from dough fried in oil and is often served with the well-known kalamaki or souvlaki (pieces of meat in skewer) or with local graviera cheese.
The photos you see here were taken today...
Dear friends of Berlin Oil Connection,
Through this post, I would like to wish you a beautiful transition into the new year. I hope that 2025 brings us peace, serenity, and creativity. I wish good health for you and your loved ones.
Although times are challenging, I hope that we all maintain a spirit of optimism and make this year as beautiful as possible.
I imagine that I will see many of you in person at the Saturday market in a few days, where my stand will be there, every Saturday of January.
As usual, I am writing to you when I have important news to share. Today is one of those days. This past year has been quite good for me in every way. The quality of the olive oil was excellent, as always, which is evident from your enthusiasm. This makes me especially happy because I truly love what I do. However, my farm produces a specific quantity of olive oil each...
