The Duckie Guide: Mykonos, Greece
Of course there is so much more to this outrageous island but we have picked just a few places we love to go. We are keeping it simple and real here xoxoxo
Mykonos? Why Mykonos? We’ve been going there for almost ten years because of our very good friends Theo and Stella. They have a home there, and we love them dearly. It’s a chance for us to connect each summer. Yes, Mykonos is a crazy place, but like all very busy towns, if you know how to live beneath the chaos, it becomes a beautiful place to visit—with stunning beaches, the bluest of blue water, and great old tavernas. You just need to learn how to avoid the crowds—and after ten years, we’ve mastered that.
Composting on Mykonos
We know this isn’t the typical way to start a “Travel Guide,” but we think it’s important to remember that you can compost no matter where you are! And on Mykonos, excess waste is such a problem. So, we go out of our way to collect food scraps and compost. You should, too. Here is our little step-by-step guide on how we do it.
Start by collecting all food scraps (except acidic fruits like lemons, oranges, and limes) in a large container. Once it’s full, walk to the back of your garden and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the contents. If you’re adding to an existing compost heap, use a pitchfork to mix the new scraps with the old. If this is your maiden voyage, simply cover the scraps with the soil you’ve dug up.
Next, cover the compost with a plastic sheet and secure it with bricks or stones so no animals can disturb it. Over the next few weeks, your compost will break down into rich soil that you can use around your trees and shrubs.
The Best Barber: This place… or call 2289024383
I can’t tell you exactly how to get here, but you start somewhere near Bakoya Cafe in Gialos. By the way, they have the best saganaki, which is fried cheese—a special Greek cheese. Many places offer this dish, but Bakoya’s is the best.
From Bakoya, you walk up and around and get here. There’s a barber at the front— you don’t want him. You have to go further into the shop to find a lovely elderly barber. He’s kind, interesting and speaks as much English as I do Greek (which gives you a clue). He charges 5 Euros for a haircut. And when you’re sitting there, facing his mirror, you can almost feel the thousands of faces who have stared into the same mirror, and you know everything is going to be OK.
Sorry, I don’t know his name.
The Best Jewelry Store: LALAoUNIS
This is the place where Aristotle Onassis once bought baubles for Jackie O and Maria Callas. It’s all about the 24-carat gold pieces here. Duckie has purchased a couple of rings here. It’s very calm inside the shop. Very chill and very expensive. It’s worth going to look.
The Best Homemade Ice Cream: N’ice Cream Mykonos
We love this place. They have the best ice cream on the island. I love the tangerine and strawberry sorbets, but the vanilla ice cream wins the prize. They also make ice cream cakes, perfect for any celebration with a lot of people.
The Best Meat Market: Madoupas
The best place in Mykonos to buy wagyu steaks and burgers. It’s not the “Disco Butcher” (who is also on the island) and a place everyone should experience. Madoupas is old-school but ready for modern times.
The Best Fish Market: Anemotrata
Go early in the morning for the best selection of fish. Everything comes from the sea around Mykonos—they have it all. Think of it as the Citarella of Mykonos.
Speaking of fish, here is a recipe from our good friend Stella. She is an amazing cook, and this is one of her favorite ways to prepare fish for a group. Duckie can’t cook, but he helped her one night. It’s a fabulous recipe that makes it look like you can cook when you present it on the table.
Stella’s Baked Fish in a Salt Crust
Purchase any white fish—whole but gutted and cleaned—leaving the scales on. On this night, we purchased a 1.5-kilo sea bass.
Stuff the fish with parsley, dill, wild fennel, and eight slices of thinly sliced lemon.
Prepare the salt mix: Mix four (4) pounds of kosher salt and two (2) cups of white flour in a large bowl. Add two (2) eggs and a little water until the mix has a snowball consistency.
Line a baking sheet in tin foil, wrapping around the edges of the baking sheet.
Add a layer of the salt mix in the shape of the fish to the pan's bottom. Place the fish on your thin layer of salt mix, and then continue to cover and pack the salt mix on the entire fish.
Let it stand for a couple of minutes.
Heat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the fish for 35 minutes.
Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Now, the best part….
Place the fish on a serving tray and gently pry the top off the salt with a very sharp knife, revealing the fish to your guests. This is not easy. Have patience. Then, cut the fish into filets and serve with a lemon olive oil mix.
We know we just said Duckie doesn’t cook, but he seems to when we’re on Mykonos. Here is a recipe he came up with for what he called “Breakfast Moot”….aka overnight oats.
Steven’s Breakfast Moot
In a frying pan, gently toast a 1/2 cup of rye and buckwheat for a few minutes…but any grain can be used.
Put it in a container and add a 1/2 cup of oatmeal.
Add a milk of your choice to cover the entire dry mixture in the container
Put the lid on, then put it into the fridge overnight.
In the morning, wake up, take out the jar, and place some of your mixture into a bowl. And do like I have in the photos. Add a spoonful of tahini and honey. Add chopped almonds. Yummy. Add chia seeds soaked in coconut milk, which you should also make the night before……..and whatever else you like.
Now, back to New York and back to work on the Next Collection…..stay tuned.
xoxoxo
The Duckies