Love is lovelier when you share it. That is more or less how we see taste, too.
Through a dish that reminds us of home, an aroma that changes a whole recipe, or a simple ingredient we reach for again and again, everyday cooking has its own way of bringing us together.
Bakalokarpos is our grocery shop in Kypseli, at Kypselis 92, 11363 Athens, and also an online shop for anyone who would rather do their shopping online.
Familiar flavours meet more contemporary choices here: pulses, herbs, spices, honey and bee products, pasta, superfoods and many more categories for the everyday table.
We don't want good food to feel complicated.
We want you to open your cupboard and find ingredients you actually want to use.
What will you find in a modern grocery shop in Kypseli?
For us, a grocery shop is not simply a space full of products.
It is a place where you can find something familiar, and also discover something you haven't tried yet.
You might be after lentils for tomorrow's dinner, a different spice for a recipe, herbs for the house, honey for breakfast, or a new ingredient you saw somewhere and want to try.
That mixture of the everyday and the unexpected is what we like most.
Not every purchase has to be a big “dietary decision”. Sometimes you simply want good ingredients to cook what you love.
How do we choose the products that reach our shelves?
We are not interested in simply filling a shelf with as many options as possible.
We are interested in every product having a reason to be there.
We look at flavour, quality, how useful it is in everyday cooking, and how it relates to its price.
We want you to be able to find choices you will use again and again, and also products that give you a reason to try something different.
For us, the choice does not end at attractive packaging. What matters is what is inside, how it is used, and whether it genuinely has a place on our table and in our cupboard.
Which products are worth always having in your cupboard?
There is no one correct list for every household.
There are, however, some ingredients that can become the base for dozens of different meals.
Pulses can become soup, salad, purée or a side dish.
Pasta can solve a quick weekday meal or become the base for something more special.
Herbs and spices completely change a simple combination of ingredients.
Honey can travel from breakfast all the way to baking.
And products such as seeds, or other choices we often meet under the heading of superfoods, can bring more variety to breakfasts, salads and snacks.
Our own advice is simple: don't fill your cupboard with things you “ought” to eat. Fill it with things you know you will use.
Why do pulses still have a place in everyday eating?
Pulses are one of those foods that seem to need no introduction — and yet we keep finding new ways to use them.
Lentils, chickpeas, beans, split peas and other varieties work in traditional recipes and in more contemporary ones alike.
They can become: classic olive-oil dishes and soups, salads, spreads, hummus, bowls, patties, side dishes.
And perhaps that is the best thing about them: you don't have to choose between tradition and modern cooking. They belong in both.
If you are wondering “which pulses are the best?”, the most useful answer is not one particular variety. It is the one that suits the dish you want to make, the time you have and the flavours you love.
What are superfoods, and how do we use them without overdoing it?
The word superfoods has become very popular in recent years.
It is usually used for foods that stand out because they contain significant amounts of particular nutrients.
That does not mean, however, that there is any “magic” food.
No single ingredient on its own replaces a balanced and varied diet.
That is why we prefer to see them more simply: as interesting ingredients that can add different textures, flavours and options to our everyday cooking.
Seeds, quinoa, cacao and other choices can be used in: breakfasts, yoghurt, salads, smoothies, snacks, baking and dessert recipes.
Not because we need to follow every new trend. But because it is good to have more ingredients at our disposal.
What is the difference between organic and conventional products?
The word organic is not simply a description that can be used without rules.
Certified organic products are produced and inspected in line with a specific regulatory framework.
So when you want to work out whether a product is genuinely certified organic, look at the labelling on the packaging and the relevant certification details.
There is no need to assume automatically that every organic product is “better” in every possible respect.
The right way to choose depends on: the product itself, its ingredients, its origin, the way you want to use it, and your own priorities.
How do I tell where something comes from, and what does “Greek product” mean?
If you want to choose a product on the basis of where it comes from, the safest place to start is the label.
Don't rely only on: the Greek name, the image on the packaging, the flag, or the style of the brand.
Look at what is stated for: country of origin, place of production, place of packaging, producer or company.
A product can come from a Greek company without all of its ingredients being of Greek origin. And the other way round, a product may use raw material of Greek origin without that being obvious at first glance.
That is why we prefer to look at the real information on the packaging.
Where will you find Bakalokarpos in Athens?
If you would like to visit us in person, you will find us at 92 Kypselis, 11363 Athens, in Kypseli.
For information you can call us on 21 2105 9849.
And if you are not in Athens, you can browse our online shop and place your order online.
We ship to countries in the European Union, so that Bakalokarpos can reach a little further than our own neighbourhood.
For us, that does not change the idea we started from: good flavours, useful ingredients and more reasons to share everyday food.
