While we eagerly wait for Athens to come back from the printers, here’s an excerpt from the magazine’s food story to whet your appetite. You might even spot where the packaging for this issue came from…





Athens Central Meat
and Fish Market

(Athinas Str. between Euripidou and Sofokleous, Athens 10551)

‘It has something from Ancient Greece, you know, the rhythm.’ This is how a trader in the Central Market describes his job as he hoses down his stall at the end of market day. Outside, on Athinas street, you can find all sorts of cheap herbs, fruit and nuts but it is within the two great halls of the marketplace that you pick up the real weight of your meal. Walking under the hanging carcasses and swinging light bulbs of the meat market that day we met with many eyes, mainly dead sheep eyes, as the traders busied themselves in the gristle of their chop and bag routines.

The fish market runs around the outside of the meat market and this is where we meet trader Paris Klonis packing up his stall for the after-noon. ‘In this market you can find expensive fish, cheap fish, fish for all the people!’ he told us amongst the sound of traders hacking at ice. Paris has worked in the 130 year old Fish Market since he was 12 years old helping his father on Saturdays. Paris’s father would pay him in skiing trips to the mountains, which he remembers fondly but admits this is not a job he wishes for his own children. ‘This work is very hard,’ he said blinking heavily. ‘Not only for the fishermen, but we also have to wake up very early to buy the fish, to find the good fish and cheap fish.’

Instead of going to university Paris trained in the army before returning to follow his father’s fishy footsteps on Athinas Street – a lifestyle he believes makes him healthy (although he would like to lose another 20 pounds, so no photos below the waist). Paris was eager to pass on some of his wisdom before we left: ‘Do the athletics, don’t be fat, drink everyday one cup of milk, eat the honey, fish, don’t drink a lot of beer and whiskey, and if you make a family tell them first to study and then to like the athletic life.’





WORDS: Zara Miller
PHOTOGRAPHY: Liz & Max Haarala Hamilton


To read the full food story and more, click the cover image below: