LALERI: More Than a Festival, It’s the Soul of Poros - Trizinia - Methana Forged in Fire and Flavour (1000-Word Reflection)

On 27 Nov 2025
In Blog
By Katerina Sakelliou
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Greetings, dear friends, from my kitchen—which is also the heart of the LALERI Festival!

The dust has settled, the last of the beautiful chaos has cleared, and I’m sitting here at Odyssey Farm, looking out at the sea, still vibrating with the energy of the past weekend. As the founder and organizer of the inaugural Laleri Festival, I am bursting with pride, exhaustion, and fresh inspiration. This wasn't just an event; it was the realization of a years-long dream: to build a bridge—a delicious, aromatic bridge—connecting the unique geological soul of Poros, Trizinia, and Methana to the rest of the world through our incredible gastronomy.

For those who may not know our magical corner of Greece, we sit where the volcano meets the sea, where lemon groves scent the air, and where the land yields treasures like wild oregano and ancient olive oil. The mission of Laleri was to make the world taste this uniqueness, and I believe we succeeded spectacularly.

The Launch at Home: A Culinary Challenge at Odyssey Farm

Our journey kicked off right here, in my own backyard, at Odyssey Farm. This place is my sanctuary, my daily inspiration, and it felt only right that it served as the headquarters and the starting point of the festival. We began by tackling a vital environmental and culinary challenge: the non-native fish species that are increasingly prevalent in our waters.

In collaboration with the ARGOSARONIC ENVIROMENT FOUNDATION, the WWF, and KATHETI, we hosted a live cooking demonstration that showed how these species can be transformed into gourmet dishes. It was a fascinating dialogue: How do we, as chefs and consumers, transform an ecological problem into a gastronomic solution?

The air was thick with the scent of fresh fish grilling, mixed with lemon and wild herbs. It was a discussion rich in flavour and ecological consciousness, setting the sustainable tone for the entire Festival. Seeing our guests—many of them young families—taste these lesser-known species and recognize their delicious potential was one of the most rewarding moments of the entire weekend. This opening event, set against the backdrop of the sea and the tranquility of our Glamping site, immediately set the sustainable and quality-focused tone for everything that followed.

I cooked with Giorgos Mauroulis our chef at Odyssey and his wife Mirto ( I am very thankfull to them ) with a lot of friends and familly volunteering.

Echoes of History in Olive Oil and Stone

From modern sustainability, we traveled back in time to the deep history of our land. Our focus shifted to the olive tree at the stunning Tombazis Estate. Walking among those ancient trunks, you can feel the centuries of history whispering around you.

This event was a homage to the primary ingredient of the Mediterranean diet. We brought together local experts and enthusiasts to explore the nuances of our local oils. It’s more than fat; it’s culture, it’s medicine, it’s life. The local cultural associations further enriched this experience, providing an authentic taste of our regional traditions. Their colourful presence and generous offerings gave the historical talks a palpable heartbeat, reminding us that these roots are not just ancient—they are alive and thriving today.

The Ascent to Aroma: Oregano and the Palaeokastro View

Saturday began with a sensory experience I will never forget: the pilgrimage up to the Palaeokastro of Methana to celebrate Oregano (Rígani). The view from that historic vantage point alone is breathtaking, but when you combine it with the incredible, intense scent of the Methana oregano, the experience is truly sublime.

Mr Rizos explained and talked about the origano he brought some to taste and to smell and I had prepared some bites with origano in them. Mr Vangelis Papathimiopoulos gave us a tour about Paleokastro the Akropolis of Methana.

This native variety has a robustness that reflects the rugged volcanic landscape from which it springs. We demonstrated simple yet profound ways to use it—sprinkled generously over local feta, mixed into handmade bread and olive oil, or infused in tea. It was a glorious, sun-drenched breakfast that proved that the finest gastronomy often requires nothing more than high-quality local ingredients handled with respect. The enthusiasm of the crowd, eager to learn about this unique spice, reaffirmed my belief that people are hungry for authenticity.

The Heartbeat of the Community: The Gidi Panigiri

The absolute climax of the communal spirit was the Gidi Panigiri (Goat Festival) on Saturday night, a collaboration with the fantastic “To Gidi ton Methanon” team. This event was a roaring success, pulling in huge numbers of people from our local towns, Athens, and Nafplio.

The air was electric! The atmosphere was a beautiful chaos of music, laughter, and the mouthwatering scent of slow-cooked goat meat. This traditional dish—the "Gidi"—is a cultural statement here. It speaks of community, patience, and celebrating the bounty of our land. Seeing hundreds of people dining, dancing, and celebrating together, truly embracing the local music and the unique flavours we created, was the ultimate reward for every single stressful moment of planning. It was the purest form of Greek joy and shared identity.

Aromatic Reflection and the Emotional Close at the Lemon Grove

The Aromatic Finale: A Day in the Lemon Grove (Lemonodasos)

The final day brought us to the serene Lemon Grove (Lemonodasos). Walking through the grove, surrounded by the vibrant yellows and greens, the air heavy with citrus, felt like a cleansing ritual. We explored the history of this vital crop and its tremendous impact on local recipes.

Our journey began with a pleasant walk from Artimos Bay, where we made our first stop at a charming small church for a local tasting—a gentle, flavourful start to the day.

The path led us next to the traditional museum of Mr. Kiriakakis, who graciously opened his doors to us. We are so incredibly thankful for his generosity in sharing this invaluable piece of local history with the festival attendees.

Continuing our stroll through the lemon trees, we arrived at the very heart of the Lemonodasos area: Agios Serafim. Here, the discussion deepened. Voula Vlachou talked to us about her family’s dedication to the lemon-juice company bearing the same name, "Lemonodassos," detailing the process from tree to bottle. Following her, Christina Orfanidou shared touching personal memories from her childhood in the area, beautifully connecting us to the recent past of the grove.

Our final destination was the characteristic local taverna of Fotinis. It was here that a local agricultural expert MR GOUMAS explained the critical challenges facing the region, specifically addressing water management —how these issues have already changed the landscape, and what necessary structural changes would help secure the future of the groves.

The official closing, however, holds the most emotional significance for me: the decision to seat everyone at one massive communal table. At that moment, all titles, roles, and barriers dissolved. We shared food, we shared stories, and we shared the reflection of a successful weekend. It was the perfect, symbolic end to a festival rooted in togetherness.

Gratitude, Vision, and the Future of LALERI

I must take a moment to pause and extend my deepest gratitude. LALERI 2025 was realized because of the extraordinary love and effort poured in by so many:

First, to our incredible Volunteers who worked long, hard hours, their energy and smiles were the true engine of the festival. To our Local Associations who brought tradition, dance, and delicious handmade treats. To the Professionals who shared their wisdom, and to the Authorities and Sponsors who believed in our vision.

As the organizer, I promise that the lessons learned from this inaugural event—the challenges we navigated—will be used to ensure the next edition is even smoother, more ambitious, and more sustainable. We are already hard at work planning the expansion and deepening of our commitment to local producers and unique gastronomy.

The Laleri Festival is here to stay. It is the platform for the unique story of Poros-Trizinia-Methana, told through the most honest language: the language of flavour.

Stay tuned for the full, detailed list of thank yous, and I look forward to sharing many new recipes inspired by the treasures we discovered!

With all my love and excitement for next year,
Katerina

Katerina's Kouzina - Authentic Greek Recipes and more