Yale Lecture on the Mediterranean Diet Features Healthy Greek Foods from Demeter's Pantry, Taste of Crete

Demeter's Pantry is a gourmet and natural food company that focuses on the healthy foods of Greece. Its award winning Taste of Crete and Aphipharm Honey products were featured at Yale as part of a panel presentation on the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.

(PRWeb) February 14, 2007 -- On Wednesday, February 7, 2006 the Yale School of Public Health in conjunction with Yale's Hellenic Studies program sponsored a lecture entitled "Nutrition, Social Change, Politics and Olive Oil: The Revival of the Mediterranean Diet". Speakers were Dr. Anthonis Kafathos, an expert on the Greek and Mediterranean Diets and a Professor at the University of Crete Medical School and Dr. Eileen Kennedy, Dean of the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Esther Luongo Psarakis, from Demeter's Pantry hosted a reception following the lecture featuring an array of their natural products, all healthy examples of the Mediterranean Diet.

"We are honored to be part of today's program at Yale" stated Esther Psarakis "and to be able to share our healthy foods with the presenters and attendees. The traditional Greek diet is one of the best examples of the Mediterranean cuisines".Featured were Demeter's Pantry line of Apipharm raw varietal honeys from different areas of Greece. These were paired with Greek Fage Total yogurt. Participants had the rare opportunity to sample all eight unique varieties of Greek honey; Wild thyme honey from the mountains of Crete, thyme and wildflower from the Aegean Islands, orange blossom from Epirus, chestnut honey from Mount Pilio, pine honey from the lsland of Evia, heather honey from Sterea Hellas, fir honey from the mountains of Vitina in the Peloponnesus, and wildflower from Greek Macedonia. The participants were amazed and delighted by the rich flavors, aromas and diversity of these honeys.

Attendees also enjoyed Taste of Crete's extra virgin olive oil from Crete which won a Gold Medal in the 2006 International Olive Oils of the World Competition. The Taste of Crete extra virgin olive oil has the Protected Designation of Origin certification (PDO), the European Union's recognition of its exceptional quality and adherence to traditional methods of production. It is among the lowest olive oils in the market in acidity, less than 0.3% which gives it a peppery finish along with fruity and herbaceous tones.

Tastes of Crete's line of Evangelia's Traditional Greek Olive Oil Biscuits were also enjoyed by all participants. These are named in honor of Esther Psarakis's mother-in-law, baked according to her recipe, which contains no eggs or butter. They are a perfect example of the Greek use of olive oil in baking, a healthy alternative to butter and other fats.

Demeter's Pantry line of all Greek, all natural food products are available on line and in a number of gourmet and natural food stores. The company is owned by two women who share a common passion for the foods, culture and history of Greece; Maria Kardamaki Robertson and Esther Luongo Psarakis. They are continuing to expand their array of high quality foods based on the healthy diets of Crete and the rest of Greece.

For more information on where to find these healthy products, visit their websites: www.demeterspantry.com or www.tasteofcrete.com or call 301 587 0048.

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