Stani, the traditional dairy shop in Omonia, is a memory from my childhood.
Back then, after shopping at Lampropoulos or Minion, it was essential to stop for a souvlaki at Lefteris Politis and then for loukoumades or chocolate cream at Stani.
We always left loaded with bags of yogurt, creams, and rice pudding!
These were my first culinary experiences with the pure quality of ingredients.
History
The years passed, the big department stores of the time disappeared, burgers and pizzas appeared, and the atmosphere of the city center changed. It became notorious and threatening…
But for me, it remained a sweet memory, so I always find an opportunity, an excuse, to revisit the hangouts of my childhood in Omonia, and not only that.
I discover new places and pop into Giotis for an ouzo, let’s say…
I sit in the square, enjoy the fountain, or what’s left of it, and look at the old buildings around me.
I listen to the intensity and rhythm of the city, I hear the electric tram, the Omonia stop with its incredible golden-yellow old tiles.
Following tradition, I always leave loaded with yogurt, cream, rice pudding, and milk pies.
I share them with my children, sister, and nieces and nephews, wanting to convey to them the glamour and quality of another era.
The products are the same as they used to be. The packaging has changed a little, but even that follows the old classic recipe. A plastic tub with the brand name printed in a single color. No frills or fanfare, because here it is the content that sells, not the packaging.
The walk in Omonia
The day was spent in Omonia, passing through the central market to pick up fish and shrimp ordered by my daughter…
After devouring a souvlaki at Lefteris the citizen, I headed down to Stani, the traditional dairy shop of my heart.
I always, always go inside and start examining the creams, rice puddings, and yogurts lined up like soldiers in the refrigerators.
I reached the end of the counter and was struck by the smell of fresh butter.
A freshly made milk pie was calling me over…
My eyes lit up and I immediately placed my order.
“Oh, I can’t cut it right away because it just came out,” said the man who saw me looking at it lovingly…
“In ten minutes, it will cool down a bit… Sit outside in the shade and I’ll bring it to you in a moment.
I sat down comfortably and the cool water arrived…
So I don’t have to wait, could you bring me some cream on a plate with a little cinnamon, or rather, some anthogala with honey, please.
Yes, I know, I had completely lost control.
After a while, Mr. Thanasis, the owner, came out.
He is the grandson of Barba-Nikos, who first opened Stani in 1931… Think about that, I said to myself, and let him tell me about the old days. About this whole great journey of taste!
The anthogala with honey arrived, in a tall glass, a light preparation made from cow’s milk that you can’t call whipped cream, nor can you call it cream.
A velvety poem garnished with thyme honey and a few nuts.
The first spoonful went deep, as if it wanted to take in all the flavor of the cream.
The enjoyment
I began to savor it slowly, agonizingly, as if I wanted it to never end.
That velvety texture flooded my palate.
Memories flashed through my mind of walks with my father in search of cheese pies from Ariston in Syntagma to the loukoumades he searched for frantically.
Apart from Stani, the dairy shop in Omonia, I remember him taking me to Loukoumades Ktistakis, but also to Chavetea on Aeolou Street and to Krino. But his favorite was the semi-basement Aigaion on Panepistimiou Street.
The one that finally gave up the ghost after so many years of life.
The loukoumades of that era, along with the serano and almond sweets, were our treats!
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a generous slice of galaktoboureko landed in front of me…
Moist, soft, and still quite warm, with cream spilling slightly from the side.
Drenched in light syrup, it tempted me to scoop up some of the spilled cream from the syrup.
The butter exploded in my mouth like German grenades.
The velvety cream melted in my mouth…
Yes, my friend, I was in heaven!
In the paradise of taste that was the dairy shop of my childhood.
It was as if not a single day had passed!
I was back in the old days at Stani’s dairy shop. Thank you, God!
Now I am constantly searching for such old, authentic shops with history.
The ones we should all cherish like the apple of our eye.
Not to mention that UNESCO should also place them under its protection.
Traditional dairy shop Stani
10 M. Kotopouli, Omonoia
Telephone: 210 52 33 637
Tip
At #TasteLocalGreece, we taste and promote all our favorite hangouts.
The local products we discover, the places we visit, and those that fit our philosophy.
The taverns we discover in our culinary quests. Our articles have no commercial benefit. Often, the restaurants we visit are unaware that we will be mentioning them.
They are all our personal experiences, and we share them with you. We strive to highlight forgotten flavors, authenticity, and simplicity that have been lost from our lives.
We strive to highlight forgotten flavors, authenticity, and simplicity that have been lost from our lives.
The information we provide is based on the period when we visited the place.
